Lost Soul
by Tsurugi-chan
Summary: Legend tells of an Elf whose Soul was stolen and now sleeps in darkness. A thousand years later, his time is running out, and it's up to a Human to find and bring him back. AU, (eventual) mild AxL slash {COMPLETE}
1. Prologue

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Idea for this is courtesy of Oscar Wilde and all his gayness. XP This is an _AU_ fic, and there's _no_ Arwen, so don't flame me for not sticking to movie/book-verse. Oh yes, and this will be eventual slash. Mild slash, but still slash. Enjoy.

**Prologue**

_A story was once told… of how the jealousy of one ruined the life of another._

_How he coveted the other's beauty and spirit such that he sought to take them for himself._

_He loved, but his feelings were not returned._

_So he did something that destroyed all he held dear…_

_He stole the very soul that had entranced him and took it for himself._

_And that was the beginning of his end, and the start of another story in the circle of life._

_= = = = =_

The soothing tones of the Elf fell silent as he read to the boy enthroned on his knee from a large book. A gust of wind swept through the room, making the flames in the fireplace dance, as it whispered words in the Elf's ear, words only he could understand…

It was one of those moments where he had a blinding vision of what was going to happen. And he knew without a doubt that the Wheel of Fate had started to turn…

…And in its center was the innocent boy who sat on his lap, waiting patiently for the elegant fingers to flip the page and the deep voice to continue reading the tale of a Balrog slayer.

"Ada?" The Human child turned questioning eyes on his foster father.

"Yes, Estel?" Elrond blinked as he was jerked out of the reverie he had fallen into.

"You haven't finished the story yet."

Elrond smiled fondly at the boy he had grown to love as his own. "Indeed. My apologies, little one, I was thinking of other things."

"Besides," Elrohir interjected, "Aren't you getting a little too old for such fairytales? Someone declared just yesterday that he was a grown-up, now that he was 9 years and 3 days."

Estel shook his head violently. "No, I'm not! And, you're the one who's eavesdropping on the story Ada's reading to me; don't you think that _you're_ the one who's too old for this?" His eyes glinted in victory as Elladan laughed at his twin.

"I think you taught him to pick out weak arguments a _little _too well, brother dear."

"I don't believe any of you is too old to be listening to fairy tales," Elrond smiled at his bickering children. "Some of these stories have a history behind them, and others are yet real, so not all of these are fairytales, but lessons we can learn… see?"

Estel sighed impatiently, "Just continue with the story, Ada."

Elrond stared thoughtfully at the Human sitting on his lap for a long while, as a cloud seemed to pass over his eyes. He gave a little nod as though reassuring himself and muttered, "Yes, perhaps it is time…"

The twins looked curiously at their father. "Ada?"

Elrond cleared his throat and began speaking in his calm tones, "I'll tell you that story again some other day, Estel. I've just recalled one that I'm sure will interest you… and the twins as well. It is somewhat of a legend among the Elves. Some say that these events have never happened, others say that they did…

"This is a story of how an Elf was robbed of his soul a long time ago."

_= = = = =_

**TBC**

****

Author's notes:

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bounces around

After a long long long (about 5 months) hiatus since 'Forbidden Love', yours truly is finally back with another story.

First off, apology time. To those who were actually waiting for my side story to 'Forbidden Love'… err…. Sorry? " I did write the whole thing out…. I was about to type and post it when I reread it and realized how… silly the whole thing sounded. Seriously. I've no idea what possessed me to come up with a side story like that. So, once again, sorry that I didn't post it, but no worries, nothing major happened in it. It was just… sort of proof to myself that I could still write het pairings instead of slash.

Next, about this current fic. It's ongoing, so I'm still writing the later chapters. But not to worry, I think I should be able to post more or less on schedule (which is every fortnight) 'cos I've already written out at least half of this. I had intended to wait till I finished writing the whole thing before posting, but…. I got tempted. " And hopefully I won't get writer's block, 'cos I'm currently on holiday, so it's a really good time for me to write…. When I'm not working that is.

The idea from this comes from 'The Portrait of Dorian Gray' by Oscar Wilde. Those who've read it will understand what I mean as the story unfolds. Those who haven't read it should go read it. It's a test of how warped you are. Seriously. See how quickly you can spot the more, ahem, slashy parts in it. I also drew inspiration from a debate I was having with a friend over the ending to the book, which I'll go into detail at the end of this fic 'cos I intend to make use of it.

Last but not least, thanks for reading this fic, this sorry excuse for author's notes, and pretty please leave a review!

ps: I hate ff.net... it messed up all my formatting!!! and removed my asterisks!!!


	2. Fairytales

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, except for all the OC's who appear. Once again, this is _AU_, and will eventually be mild Aragorn x Legolas s_lash_.

Thanks to ff.net's (highly screwed up) formatting, all the symbols I used previously for breaks have been deleted, so now, all breaks/shifts in perspectives/you-get-the-point will be denoted by this - **: : : : :**

And since asterisks have been deleted as well, whenever you see words between these just imagine that the "" and "" are asterisks. Am I making sense here?

Enough of my crapping, I'll save that for after this installment. Enjoy!

**Chapter 1: Fairytales**

Elrond settled himself into his armchair and began to tell the story of the Elf who had lost his soul. "He was called the 'Golden Prince', and a very fitting name it was…"

**: : : : :**

Gold hair flew wildly in the wind as the young Elf streaked back towards the palace.

'Late, late, late, late! Oh, Ada will have my head this time!'

He skidded round the corner just in time to see his father greeting the guests and ushering them into the palace. As the King followed them in, he turned his head and surveyed the palace grounds, wondering where his rascal of a son had disappeared to when he had already been given instructions to be present at their arrival.

The blonde Elf ducked out of sight, praying desperately that his father would go back inside. As he heard the door shut behind his father, he immediately sprung out of his hiding place and dashed up the tall tree that led up to his bedroom.

Vaulting lightly off the branch and onto a windowsill, he dropped lightly in his room to find his distressed valet wringing his hands.

"Oh! Your Highness! Where have you been? The King is -"

"I know, I know! I ran back as soon as I could." The Prince started to take off his weapons and boots, discarding them on the floor as he hopped towards his closet. "Quick, where're my clothes for tonight?"

"I've laid them out here already, although I had hoped you'd arrived sooner than you did." The valet said dryly as he scurried around picking up after his young liege. "Now, your Highness, just leave your things be and get dressed. You're late enough as it is."

The Prince scowled and muttered some choice curses as he hauled his hunting tunic over his head and pulled on his court garments. In a minute, his valet was fussing over his hair and clothes, making sure that he, at least, looked vaguely presentable.

"There you go! Now, don't go running though the corridors or you'll mess up your -" The slam of the heavy door cut off the rest of the well-meaning words. The valet glared at the door in exasperation before he chuckled and shook his head. "There he goes again."

The Golden Prince fled through the halls as though a pack of wargs were after him. He finally reached the double doors of the great dining hall and pushed them open slightly, hoping that he could sneak through quietly…

"And it appears that my elusive son has finally returned from his hunting trip." There was a hint of dry humour in his father's voice as the King spotted the golden head peeking out from around the doors.

Embarrassed, the Prince stepped into full view. His father gave him a look that said 'We'll discuss this later'.

"Gracious friends, may I present to you my son, Prince Legolas."

Legolas smiled and bowed to the Elves gathered in the hall, oblivious to a pair of eyes that followed his every movement with an interest that burned with the fire of desire.

**: : : : :**

_'All who had seen him agreed that his beauty rivaled that of the stars, that there was something so pure and innocent about him that it seemed to draw those around him like moths to a flame._

_'Many sought for his attention, but all failed. His heart was not yet ready to be bound by the chains of love. All he wanted to do was to taste the freedom that his immortal life had given him. He was young, and he wanted to see what the world had to offer him.'_

**: : : : :**

"So, you are the famed Prince of Mirkwood."

Legolas turned and smiled at the stranger. "Famed? You flatter me, and I do not even know of your name."

The elf laughed and bowed deeply. "Forgive my rudeness, Prince. I am Danin, one of the traveling companions of Lord Ragnor."

The Prince's eyes lit up in recognition. "Ah! You are the painter, they say. I've heard news of your talent, how you can capture anything on canvas, and the beauty of your art is only rivaled by the original subject."

Danin shook his head modestly. "They exaggerate. I paint only what interests me, and it takes something very beautiful to do that. I merely capture a portion of that beauty on my canvas, that's all."

"I love works of art… I wish I could see some of your paintings though." There was a wistful look in the young Prince's eyes that Danin found most fascinating.

"Perhaps you can… I was thinking of doing a few paintings of Greenwood during our stay here. Would you like to sit with me?"

"Oh, yes!" Legolas' eyes lit up immediately and resembled sunshine reflecting off a placid lake in spring.

**: : : : :**

_'They became friends through their common love for beauty… if the term friends could have been used on them. For one treated the other as an object of worship, idolizing him and memorizing every detail of the fair face. The other simply laughed his way through life, oblivious to the sorrow that lay ahead of him.'_

**: : : : :**

"Time really flies, doesn't it?" Legolas lay on his back staring up at the blue sky.

His companion made no answer. Instead, he was busy immortalizing the view of the garden before him in the form of swirls of colour. The artist certainly lived up to his reputation.

The canvas was covered with a rainbow of flowers swaying in the wind as the butterflies darted in a dance above them. In the distance, the dark trunks of the trees blended gently into the background save for the occasional bright spot of green leaves budding.

Legolas leant up on his elbow and took a look at the masterpiece before him. He could almost smell the scent of the painted flowers, so life-like were they. "That's really beautiful, I wish I could paint like you."

"It's because of you that I can paint like this." The off-hand comment made the Prince blush.

"I mean it, you know." Danin scrutinized the painting, then nodded, put aside his tools and sighed, "We're leaving tomorrow, returning home after traveling for the past few years. I suppose I should be glad, but I'm not."

"Why?" Legolas held out a hand and a butterfly landed gracefully on the tip of his outstretched fingers.

"I don't know whether or not I'll still be able to paint there."

"Why not?"

"You won't be there."

Legolas started and the butterfly flew off in fright.

Danin continued, oblivious to his companion's reaction, "The past weeks I've been here, and known you, there's been a new fire in my veins, like never before. It's as though you give life to my art. My best pieces have been done in your presence, and I don't suppose I could continue this way without you. But, painting is my life, I can't possibly live without it; I can't go on without you." He turned burning eyes upon the uncomfortable prince. "Your passion for life and beauty, it consumes me. I wish to have you by my side all the time, to show me what I can truly accomplish. Will you come back with me?"

There was a long awkward silence between them. Then…

"I'm sorry, I can't."

Danin gave him a sharp look. "What? Why not?"

Legolas shook his head as he stood up and walked a few steps away. "I… I don't pretend to understand what you feel, but this I know: my duty is here, with my people. I can't go with you. Besides, you are only using me as an object of inspiration, you will tire of me before long, and I do not wish to become a burden to you then. I'm sorry."

A hurt look passed over Danin's face. "That… is that your final answer?"

"Yes."

Danin's face hardened, and if the Prince had turned around to see him, he would have been frightened. When he spoke, his voice was icy and clipped, "Very well, _your Highness_. See that you do not regret this decision." He got up and gathered his things before striding rapidly back to the place, leaving a confused Prince behind.

"If I can't have you, no one else will."

**: : : : :**

_'When the delegation left, the King noticed that something was amiss. He later questioned his son about it, and, upon learning of the matter, told him to forget the incident. He deemed Danin as harmless, not knowing that the Elf in question came from a family rumoured to have magic in their blood, and that another thing Danin was skilled at was bearing grudges._

_'Danin returned to his homeland, and tried to paint once more, but found that he could not. With no Golden Prince beside him, he found that he could not concentrate. Wherever he turned, the blue eyes and happy smile mocked at him with the carefree joy he had admired. Even in his dreams, he saw the one face he craved to have beside him._

_'Finally, in desperation, Danin sought to capture the Golden Prince on his canvas, pouring every bit of himself into the portrait of Legolas, Prince of Greenwood. He recalled and brought to life every detail of the Prince's face, immortalizing the Elf on a piece of canvas, creating an exact replica of the Prince. Everything save one thing: the canvas lacked a soul._

_'When it was completed, Danin thought himself to be rid of the memory of the Prince, and that he could return to his art at last, but still, he could not. He was not satisfied with what his hands had created, and could not point out what the single flaw was in his masterpiece – a life-sized depiction of the Prince of Greenwood. His love and desire for the Prince had turned into an obsession, one that burned and ate away at his soul. He longed to have the real Prince by his side, and not a parody of him that stared blankly out of the frame on the wall facing him._

_'Everyday, he would sit and stare at the portrait for hours on end. Finally, one night when he felt as though he might go mad, he ripped up all of his other canvases and came to a halt before the one of the Prince, shouting with fury, "You're not real! You never were! You're just a cheap imitation, standing here and mocking me, just like you did back then! I told you that you would regret your decision, and I swear by the blood in me that you will!"_

_'In his rage, Danin did not realise that he was holding a palette knife tightly in his hand. Now, he tightened his grip as he made his vow such that it cut into him and the blood began to drip down the knife and onto the carpet. As the pain went tingling up his arm, he dropped the knife and stared blankly at the ugly red line across his palm. Without thinking, he walked up to the portrait he prized above all, so close his face almost touched it._

_'He reached up with his bloody hand and caressed the face of the Prince he had painted so carefully, leaving a trail of red along the lips of the portrait. Then, he gave a strange laugh and spoke, "By the blood within me… I see, I see. Well, your Highness, I told you that you would regret it, so now it is time for me to remember that promise. Since it was the fire in your soul that attracted me initially, I will take that fire from you, and it will remain mine for all time. Yes, yes, it will be perfect, don't you see? Your soul, in exchange for mine. With yours captive here, with me, I will be free to paint once more."_

_'There was a sudden crack of lightning and a strange wind swept into the room as Danin stumbled out, laughing, sobbing and rambling about having the Prince all for himself. He did no see that the blue eyes that once gazed unseeing out of the canvas were suddenly filled with a light. The light that came from a soul._

_'In Greenwood, the palace was in an uproar. The Prince had suddenly collapsed while walking his father back to his room. The healers were called in, but none could find anything wrong. The Prince lay with his eyes closed, his breathing unnaturally slow and shallow, his skin deathly pale and cold. No one could explain what had happened. All they knew was that he would not, or could not, wake up.'_

**: : : : :**

"You mean that Danin really managed to take his soul away from him?" Estel's eyes were wide in wonder as he listened to the strange tale.

"Yes, through some strange twist of fate, Danin succeeded without going through the actual rites of casting a proper spell. The next day, he noticed that something had changed about the portrait, but he did not know what. Instead, he found himself finally able to continue with his work. It was not until much later that he found out what he had done."

"How?"

Elrond sighed and shook his head, "To this day, no one knows. It was said that every night, after the hour at which Danin stole the Prince's soul, the portrait would come to life. It could move around anywhere, but the minute the sun rose, it had to return to its canvas."

"So there was no way the Prince's soul could have returned to his body in Greenwood," Elladan concluded softly.

"Yes, although returning to his body would not be such an easy task. I'm not well-versed in the art of magic, but according to Mithrandir, since blood was involved in the spell Danin accidentally cast, it would require his blood again in order to reverse it."

"Then why didn't they just go after Danin and order him to reverse the spell?" Estel demanded.

Elrond smiled and ruffled the Human's hair. "The story isn't over yet, Estel. When the King found out about this, he immediately sent a party of Elves to seek out Danin and the portrait in order to restore their slumbering Prince, for a soul cannot divide itself, nor can a body live without a soul.

"Unfortunately, Danin was more cunning than the King had given him credit for. He was not one to give up his prize so easily, not when he had finally realized his desire of having the delectable soul of the Prince. When he heard the news that the King had sent out a search party after him, he immediately hid the portrait far from his dwelling in a cave he was certain they would not come upon, and set a seal upon it, shielding it from the gaze of anyone who sought to find it using magic. Then, he went back and dared the soldiers to search his house to find any evidence that he had committed the crime of which they accused him.

"They found nothing, nor did they know what to do with Danin, for the Seers the King had enlisted to find out what happened to his son could not tell where the portrait was hidden. They arrested him and brought him back to Greenwood, where they questioned him repeatedly and locked him up in the dungeons for the better part of a century, in the hopes that he would tell them what he had done to the Prince. He refused to talk, and finally, the King had no choice but to release him, thinking that perhaps the Seers were wrong. In the meantime, his son lay in his chambers, sleeping the cold sleep of Death, even though he still breathed.

"When Danin returned to his home, he immediately went to the cave to retrieve the portrait. However, it seemed that in his absence, thieves had plundered the cave where he had hidden his portrait so carefully, for in his haste he had only shielded it from the eyes of magic users, and not common folk, being over-confident in his belief that no one could find the cave. Angered and crazed by his loss, he stormed out of his house and was never seen again by his kin.

"Thus, the portrait and the Prince's soul disappeared, and with it Danin. Until today, no one knows what happened to them."

There was a moment of utter silence after Elrond finished his tale. Then a falling log in the fireplace broke the spell and his sons stirred.

"So, was this a true story? Or are you making it up?" Estel's sleepy eyes stared suspiciously up at his father.

Elrond gave a little laugh as he ruffled the Human's hair. "No, Estel, I'm not making any of it up. Perhaps someday you'll come to understand why I told you this… but it's off to bed with you now." The Elven Lord picked up the Human, despite his protests, and carried him off to his room.

The twins glanced at each other, then settled themselves in comfortable chairs and waited for their father to return. Shortly after, Elrond walked in and shut the door, knowing what they were going to say.

"You must be wondering why I told him that particular story."

Elrohir nodded as his brother commented, "I thought that it was King Thranduil's wish for it to remain a secret, so that no one would know that Legolas is lying helpless in Mirkwood and stage an attack on them."

Elrond dropped into his chair with a sigh that sounded almost like a groan. "Yes, it was supposed to remain a secret, but there was one thing that the Seers foretold which was made known only to Thranduil, Lord Celeborn, Lady Galadriel, Mithrandir and myself."

"What was it?"

"They saw a vision of the future. They saw that it would be a young man, a _Human,_ who freed the Prince from Danin's spell. Curse, rather."

The twins looked at each other once more in surprise. "You mean that…"

"The grace period of a millennia is almost over, and no one has even gotten close to finding out what happened to Danin and that portrait." Elrond hesitated for a moment, before he continued quietly, "I believe that the human they saw is Estel. He is the one who holds the key to saving Legolas."

**: : : : :**

**TBC**

Author's notes:

So? How was this chapter? It was longer than the prologue that's for sure. big cheesy grin

Ok, explanations time… First off, I'm really bad at coming up with names for my original characters, so… heh. "Ragnor" is the name of one of the companions of Barahir when Morgoth was hunting their clan. "Danin" (actually Daniin) is the name of one of the characters from the book 'Afterimage' by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Kevin J. Anderson. I'm trying to keep the number of OC's to a minimum so I don't have to worry about naming them… crosses fingers

Next update will be in 2 weeks time, hopefully over a weekend. I intended to post this over the weekend, but playing "Kingdom Hearts" for the millionth time just got too interesting. Interactive bashing is very fun. wink wink If I can finish writing this soon, then posting will be more frequent, maybe once a week? Keep hoping that I won't get hit by writer's block, there's a very high tendency of that to happen. Bleh.

Review replies… to the 3 nice people who reviewed and the first person ever to actually add me to MSN Messenger for the sole purpose of telling me to update. lol

**_Lillybeth1_**: Thank you! Hope you like this chapter. XD

**_Nightshade3_**: lol Don't worry, the next 12 chapters have already been written, so I guess you'll be able to hear more on this story for at least 3 more months.

**_Yo_**: Err… actually, the A/L won't be coming for quite sometime more… still polishing up some of the parts to make it more…. hehehe… _slashy_. wink Btw, are you who I think you are? (If you don't get what I mean then never mind.)

**_Toby7_**: Once again, apologies for the rather curt greeting I gave you online. Hope that the girl you beta for isn't giving you too much trouble again!

Thanks for reading, please click on the little button down there to REVIEW and further inflate my ego? Pretty please?


	3. Catalyst

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story… apart from my overactive imagination, the OC's that appear, the word processor used to type this, my computer, and my ff.net ID. XD Wow. I feel so… important. big cheesy grin

As usual, this is AU and will eventually be mildly slashy… Then again, the slashy bits don't start to show until a few chapters later. So anti-slash people: your eyes won't drop out nor will your brain explode if you read this. XD

**Chapter 2: Catalyst**

_20 years later_

The market place was alive with shouts and various animal sounds. People jostled each other, trying to get out of the sweltering sun by finding refuge in the numerous inns that lined the narrow road. Despite the heat, a young man strode confidently down the busy street with the hood of his weathered cloak pulled over his head and covering his eyes. Those who passed him clucked their tongues and shook their heads at his idiocy, before they continued on their way to finish their business before the sun set.

"Strider! Strider! Over here!" A young man waved energetically over the heads of the crowd as he sought to catch the Ranger's attention. Strider sighed, and starting squeezing his way through the sea of humans, eventually reaching him.

"No need to cause such a commotion, Tyan," Strider muttered to the young man as he pushed him into the inn behind them. "There's no point in announcing our presence to the whole world."

Tyan blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dimmer lighting inside the inn, then grinned and shrugged. "Couldn't help it, that's just the way I am." Catching sight of the innkeeper, he immediately starting his, as Strider dubbed it, 'wave-and-shout' routine: "Hey! Mister! Got any room for two?"

Strider groaned and did his best to resist the urge to throttle the younger man, who certainly held a strong belief in carrying out as many conversations as possible at the top of his healthy, young lungs.

"Next time his father asks, I'm not taking him out to train him anymore," Strider muttered darkly to himself.

**: : : : :**

After they had been served and taken a swig out of the large mugs of ale the innkeeper had placed before them, Strider fixed his steely gray eyes on his younger companion and said, "I trust you had no difficulty in getting your supplies for your trip back home?"

Tyan nodded with a proud look on his face, "Hey, small matter, I settled it all in an hour or so. But…"

Strider raised an eyebrow with a sinking feeling in his stomach. "But?"

Tyan set his mug down with a thump and leaned forward with an uncomfortable look on his face. "Well, see, after I finished with my supplies, this boy, couldn't have been more than ten, my brother's age really, looked almost like him, except my brother has brown eyes and is taller - "

"Tyan," Strider interrupted, "Get to the point."

"The point. Right. The point. Where was I… Ah, yes. The boy comes running up to me and asks if I wanted to buy a painting of some sort. I told him that I wasn't interested, but if he wanted money I could give him some, 'cos he was dressed real ragged, like, but he seemed too proud to beg outright. Anyway, he was real stubborn too, said that he wouldn't take without giving and that he only had an old grandfather left, so he asked whether I was interested in buying this painting to help them. He wanted twenty silver pieces for it, but I only had ten so I, uh, was wondering whether I could borrow the money from you."

Tyan was an interesting shade of red now and Strider had a bad feeling that the story was far from over.

"That's not all is it?"

"Err, well, no." Tyan shifted uncomfortably in his seat and started talking very quickly. "I sort of gave him my things to hold as a pledge that I'd come back with the remainder of the money. I'm supposed to go to his house tomorrow and do an exchange, see?"

Strider didn't know whether he wanted to bang his own head on the wall behind him, or bang Tyan's head on said wall, at the young man's stupidity. It was amazing that the same person who showed promise in becoming an outstanding Ranger also possessed the ability to _not_ think.

"Let me get this straight: you gave _all_ your belongings to a _stranger_?"

"Yes."

"Did you see this painting which you happily bought without a moment's consideration?"

"Err, no."

"Did you go to his house, find out where he lived, whether he was leading you on? Anything?"

"Well… no."

"WHAT?!" Strider felt like having a hyperventilating fit right there and then.

Tyan immediately tried to placate the older man. "Look, it can't hurt to trust people every now and then, right?"

Strider glared at him. "I hope for your sake the boy was telling the truth. I would not want to be you and explain how you lost all your money and possessions to your father when you get back home."

Tyan grinned and slapped Strider on the back, almost sending him face-first into his mug of ale. "Thanks, man! I knew I could count on you. So, could I borrow the money?"

Strider glared at him once more as he counted out the coins and handed them over, thinking, _'By the Valar, **what** did I do to get stuck with training this… this… Orc-brained fool of a Ranger!'_

**: : : : :**

_The next morning…_

"Let's see, turn left here to reach the sign… no, I think it was right… but there's no sign, maybe it was the next street? Oh wait, I think it's back there. Sorry, Strider, didn't see you there."

Strider followed behind the muttering Tyan, who had just stepped on his toes for the fifth time, hands itching to wrap around that young man's neck and strangle him. Thanks to him, they had spent the better part of the morning navigating the rundown houses in the slums where the boy (supposedly) lived.

"Here we are," Tyan announced breezily, oblivious to the fact that he had led them down to several dead-ends before stopping so confidently before a particular house that looked no different from the others lining the alley. "I think."

Strider gave him a death glare as he stepped forward and knocked on the door, which looked like a sneeze would send it flying off its hinges and back to the woods where it came from.

A boy answered the (already open) door, his face lighting up when he saw Tyan. "You came! Please, come in." He stepped aside and ushered them in. "Grandpa! The man who wants to buy the painting is here!"

Strider snorted and said under his breath, "More like tricked into buying…"

The first thing they saw was a large object leaning against the wall, a dirty cloth that looked like it had once been a rich velvet brocade draped over its rectangular bulk. Sitting at its foot was a no less disreputable old man who sounded as though he was trying to cough his lungs out as he waved at the Rangers to take a seat.

Tyan pulled out the purse that held the ten coins he had borrowed from Strider and gave it to the boy. "Here you go. The money I promised you."

The boy poured them onto his palm and looked questioningly at his grandfather, who nodded. Immediately, the boy produced Tyan's belongings from somewhere and handed them to him.

"Well, lad, since you paid for the painting, it's yours. Take it and be gone now," the old man rasped, before he went into another coughing fit.

"It's not stolen, is it?" Strider asked suspiciously, as the healer in him assessed the old man's condition.

"No, no! Of course not. We may be poor but we would never do such a thing!" The boy exclaimed. "It's ours, really, from the days when we had a better life, before my parents were killed and we were thrown out of our house. That painting is all we have left, but we couldn't sell it even though we really needed the money because, well, no one wanted to buy it. It's not one of those scenery things that people like, see. Lift the cover and you'll get what I mean."

Strider pulled the crumbling cover off the painting, expecting to find a sorry excuse for a painting comprising of a few uninspired blobs of paint on a largely empty canvas. Instead he saw himself staring eye-to-eye with the most realistic, full-sized portrait he had ever seen.

A blonde Elf dressed in a hunting tunic stood against a dark background of tree trunks, an arrow notched in his lowered bow, as though he had just deemed the viewer harmless the instant before his image was captured on canvas. Around him, the forest floor had been painted in such minute detail that one could almost smell the scent of the leaf litter on the forest floor and hear the rustling of the decaying leaves underfoot. The brilliant blue eyes staring back at the human were so real, that for a moment, Strider thought that he was facing an actual Elf as a strange thrill ran down his spine.

"See what I mean?" the boy stepped forward and reclaimed the cloth from Strider, throwing it back over the portrait and snapping him out of his trance-like state. "No one would buy a portrait of someone they didn't know. I'm sorry to have lied to you." He glanced at Tyan, guilt written over his features.

Tyan smiled and waved it away. "Small matter, young one."

Strider looked thoughtfully at the young boy, then at the old man in the corner, still coughing hoarsely. He sighed and shook his head. "Let us be going, Tyan. Your brother will be here soon." He picked up the portrait, marveling at how light it was despite its bulky size, then gestured for Tyan to leave before him. As the boy closed the door behind him, Strider laid a hand gently on it and said softly, "Child, your grandfather…"

The boy replied quickly with eyes that were too bright, "Yes, I know. That's why I wanted to sell the portrait and get some money, see? I also wanted him to know that it was in good hands before he… and the money will come in handy too."

Strider smiled sadly. "You're a brave lad. I'm sorry there isn't anything we can do to help. It's too late for that now."

The boy nodded, then scrubbed his face with a filthy hand. "Well, guess I better go see to him now. Safe journey, kind sirs. And, thank you."

**: : : : :**

The return journey to the inn was mostly in silence. Finally, as they neared their destination, Strider, still carrying the painting, asked Tyan, "So, may I know exactly what you are going to do with this painting of yours?"

Tyan laughed sheepishly. "Well, actually, I hadn't thought about that. If you want, you can have it. I don't think my father would be very happy to have that in our house… it's cramped enough as it is without me bringing home more rubbish, as he would probably call it."

Strider rolled his eyes as he counted out ten pieces of silver and gave them to the young man. "Take it, it'll make me feel better and you won't have to go home with an empty purse." _'And empty head,'_ he added mentally, _'although the last can't be helped.'_

Tyan grinned. "Thanks, Strider. You really are something you know? I hope I get to go out on these training things with you again. Oh look! There's my brother!"

Strider turned pale at the thought of having to spend another month or two at the mercy of his companion, then shook his head ruefully as Tyan started his usual routine as he dashed towards his elder brother. He finally understood why Tyan's father had insisted on sending his oldest son to pick Tyan up and save Strider the trouble of seeing his charge home, then doubling back to Rivendell…

He had probably been gifted with foresight and deduced that his younger son would not make it back home alive in the hands of the esteemed Ranger, Strider, whose greatest wish was to free the world from his charge's un-intelligence.

**: : : : :**

After seeing the pair off, Strider, also known to his family as Estel, set about the task of packing his bags and making preparations for his own departure. Somehow, he couldn't help wondering in his turn what _his_ father would say when he saw the portrait of the blonde stranger his Human son had brought home.

**: : : : :**

**TBC**

****

Author's notes:

Yay! Another chapter up!!! streamers and balloons I kinda like this chapter, Tyan is so… hyper and crappy… wait, maybe that's why I like him, he reminds me of myself… O.o Come to think of it, for a story whose secondary genre is 'Drama', it is very… crazy. And I swear I wasn't exactly high on sugar while writing it though… Ah well, enjoy the calm before the storm. I think things will get really dramatic closer to the end. wink

The history behind Tyan's name: how did you guess? I didn't come up with it myself! It's a… err… I think it's a brand name… thinks Yup, it's either a company or fashion brand label. I 'stole' it while working at a tax refund company; I was supposed to print, cut and bind those tax refund forms tourists fill out after helping to boost the economy a.k.a. shopping. My job was pretty mundane, so I amused myself by looking for interesting shop names. Like, there was one called… 'Manly Fashion' or something like that. rofl Ahem. Back to the topic. Tyan's name doth not belong to yours truly, but the character does. XD

Finally, things are starting to move. Leggy darling will be making his appearance soon, so let the slash begin! whoops and jumps around Still trying to up the _interaction_ between them in the later chapters, but… ah, I'll complain about it when those chapters are posted. No point doing it now, cos all you nice readers (note my pathetic attempt at flattery) won't understand what I'm complaining about now. Not when everything is still nice and innocent. ;P

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next chapter in another 2 weeks! Oh, and remember, R-E-V-I-E-W!! XD

Review replies: (OMG, I got a huge shock when I opened my mailbox the day after posting the previous chapter and found 9 reviews sitting there… I've never ever gotten THAT many at a go before! Needless to say, this is one record breaker number of reviews received… total of 12! I LOOOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!)

**_Rach_**: lol Thanks for the concern. Don't worry, I don't think I'll be hit by a writer's block anytime soon. crosses fingers There _will_ be slash, eventually and most definitely. That's a promise. But it's the degree of slash that's bothering me now… so I'm trying to up it. XD

**_Sielge_**: Tada! Next chapter is served. Hope it's as interesting as the previous ones. I tend to go on hyper editing sprees sometimes… ;P

**_Toby7_**: Update, update, la la la la la!!! Oh dear, shouldn't have eaten those double choc chip cookies before writing this……

**_(the person with the smiley face… in case the symbols don't show thanks to ff.net.):_** Thanks! Well, Estel's all grown up now and ready to get into trouble! Err… I mean, get on with the quest. whistles

**_Blade6_**: Hee hee, thanks! This is my biggest project ever, so I'm glad that the details aren't too boring/overdone. I tend to get a little too particular about some stuff… and my overactive imagination refuses to be written down properly like a good little plot bunny. XP

**_IgnorantSkittle_**: Cute name! XD Ahem. Erm, as to why I don't post all the chapters I've written… well, I guess it's because my ego wants to be petted by getting as many reviews as possible, and not everyone is nice enough to want to review every chapter like you said you'd do. XD Ok, that's partly true, but main reason is because the later chapters aren't very polished yet, and there're some events in them that I prefer to keep hidden, so I can change them at whim before posting, because they tie in with the stuff I'm writing now. Makes my life easier 'cos I'll make less glaring mistakes that way.

**_Silvertoekee_**: Hehz, I like your summary of my story… Yup, Estel is the only one who can 'make Legolas whole again' spaces off at the connotation Ahem. The mystery of Danin and Legolas will be disclosed shortly… stay tuned! (did that sound cheesy or what… rofl)

**_Losing Grip_**: Thanks! And here's the update! XD btw, are you an Avril Lavigne fan? Or is it just mere coincidence?

**_Lillybeth1_**: Haha… no worries, they'll end up together… how could I bear to deprive them of each other? wink it's one of the reasons why I excluded Arwen… cos when she's around I find it rather cumbersome to have to navigate around her (Fat cow! Wahahahaha! Evil me.) to make the story remotely believable.

**_Snuffles2_**: bounces Thanks for the ego-inflation!!! XD I think soon I won't be able to fit into my chair to continue writing, but hey, anything that makes me happy!! bounces some more Hope you like this chapter!

**_Partheon_**: No kidding! I thought I'd be the only one who manages to drag the plot behind 'The Portrait of Dorian Gray' and turn it into a fic! Glad to know that I'm not alone in my quest to corrupt the world! evil laughter err.. pretend you didn't hear that. Anyway, glad you like the story so far, hope you'll like it all the way to the end, cos it might get a leetle bizarre. wink no more spoilers. zips mouth

**_Nightshade3_**: Lol Relax! I'm writing as furiously as possible while stalling for time with my fortnightly updates. Current total chapter count stands at 18 (and rising), while total number written is 14 and a bit. Good enough progress? peace sign Don't worry, even if there's the dreaded writer's block, this should tide me over for at least 3 months. XD

One more thing, to all the American readers (and whom it may concern) out there, Happy 4th of July! (Don't know much about it apart from watching 'Independence Day', cos I live on the other side of the globe.)


	4. Encounters I

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: I wish I owned them but I don't. So leave me alone. 

For the millionth (well, not really) time, AU, no Arwen, and slashiness is on the way. XD

**Chapter 3: Encounters I**

It was almost dusk when Strider reigned in his horse before the stone steps of his house in Rivendell. By an amazing stroke of luck on his part, he had actually made it home, on his own, no less, without encountering a single Orc along the way. This was something he was very grateful for, as he had resorted to carrying the portrait by his side as he rode along, being loath to take it out of its frame. Of course, he had several back-up plans in the event he was attacked. The first would be to drop the portrait and fight. The second was to run. And the third was to somehow roll it up, frame and all, and use it to swat at his attackers. Although that last option sounded vaguely more like something Tyan would do…

Perhaps the young man's influence had rubbed off a _little_ too much on him…

His musings were interrupted as the front door opened and a figure appeared, carrying a lantern.

"Ah, looks like our wayward Ranger finally decided to come home. That would be Estel, unless I am mistaken."

Estel grinned as he put down the painting and slid off his horse. "No, Erestor, your eyes aren't failing you in your old age. One correction though, I go by the name of _Strider_, not Estel, when I'm with them, so it would appear that it is your memory, and not your eyes, that is mistaken."

The Elf laughed as he gave the Human a hug. "Where are your manners? Is this how you speak to your elders?"

Estel returned the hug, then asked, "Where's everyone, Erestor? The house seems too quiet."

"Lord Elrond's in Mirkwood with the twins and Glorfindel. They should be back within the next few days."

"Mirkwood?"

"Yes. Some urgent business with the King. I must say that we weren't expecting you back so soon, though. Come, you must be tired and hungry. Go and change while I see what we can do about your dinner, the grooms will see to your horse tonight."

The Elf turned away as Estel followed him into the house, sensing that he was hiding something from the way the advisor had changed the topic so abruptly. The portrait slipped slightly in his grasp and it bumped against the floor.

"What is that you're carrying?" Erestor asked.

"This? Oh, just something I picked up. I thought Ada would like it," Strider replied, feeling strangely reluctant to show the painting to Erestor.

"I see. Do you need help with it?"

Estel shook his head. "I can manage. I'll be down in a few minutes for my dinner, and I'm hungry enough to eat a double serving. Just to let you know in advance."

Erestor smiled. "Well, then I'd better be off to warn the kitchen then."

As Estel watched the swirling robes of his father's advisor disappear down the hallway, he wondered what could possibly have happened that required his father, his brothers and the famous golden-haired warrior to leave for Mirkwood in such haste and secrecy.

**: : : : :**

The moon was high in the sky when Estel was drawn slowly back to consciousness by a strange feeling. Although he was tired, his Ranger training held and his senses were all alive and tingling even before he was fully awake to process what had woken him.

At first, he dismissed the feeling, believing himself to be safe in his own bed in his own house. But as the prickling at the back of his neck intensified, he finally lay fully awake with the feeling that there was someone standing behind him, staring at him.

_'It's just my imagination, probably Ada back from his trip and just checking up on me, or else it's Erestor worrying as usual and making sure that I'm alright,'_ he told himself, his mental voice sounding only half-convinced. Still, there was no harm in being cautious.

He pretended to stretch and roll over in his sleep, then slowly opened his eyes a fraction, expecting to see the robes of either Erestor or his father. Instead, what he saw made him jerk upright in his bed, heart pounding furiously, and grope desperately under his pillow for his dagger, which seemed to be stuck in its sheath. Cursing, he looked down momentarily as he wrenched the dagger free of his pillow and out of its sheath.

But when he turned back with his weapon in his hand, there was nothing there. Cautiously, he stepped out of his bed, weapon held ready to strike, and searched his room carefully. There were no signs of an intruder. The only thing that looked different was that the cover on the portrait had half fallen off, leaving a corner exposed. He remembered that when he went to bed, it had been completely covered, but he reasoned that the cover could easily have slid off when a gust of wind blew into the room through the open window just beside the painting.

Eventually, he got back into his bed, still gripping the dagger tightly and telling himself that he was imagining things. As he dropped off to sleep, he thought himself to be fully convinced. But in the moments before darkness claimed him, he couldn't help believing that what he saw was real…

Golden hair that shimmered softly in the dark and a pair of brilliant blue eyes, barely inches away from his face, staring intently at him from his bedside.

**: : : : :**

**TBC**

Author's notes:

dramatic music And so it begins!!!!!!!! XDXD Ahem. Err… Rather short chapter this time no? Hehehe… Wanted to have a cliffie before the next chapter. And also cos I've this thing about not liking my chapters to go past 5 pages on Microsoft Word, so I had to split the 'Encounters' chapter into 2. XD

Oh yes, before I forget, I will be referring to Aragorn as Estel for the whole fic, because it concentrates more on the Elven side of his upbringing. Erm… I haven't decided whether or not to bring his heritage into the picture (pun! Ok. Not funny) but if I do, I don't think it'll affect the story much. Or should I say, I'll twist it such that it won't be affected. The joys of an AU story. grin

I am highly stoned/drained/etc now… Just got a job to relief teach while waiting to go into university… and all I can say is that I wish I was at the other end of the classroom cries I swear that my students come from hell… If only I could bring darts to school or something… I wouldn't mind turning them into human dartboards. fingers itching to kill something Then again, a chainsaw sounds better…

Posting this one day in advance (not that it makes much of a difference) cos I'll probably be too busy to do it tomorrow… for a moment, I actually thought that I'd forgotten to post on time and that I was supposed to post this last week! heaves sigh of relief So enjoy the chapter, remember to R-E-V-I-E-W!! And stay tuned for the next chapter!!

Ok. Enough ranting/crapping… On with the review replies!!! glomps reviewers and bounces around (I'm not thinking very clearly now, so excuse any strange sounding comments I make. =) )

**_Rach_**: Hee… Thanks! Glad you liked Tyan. Even though he's quite an idiot, he's still very important, right, Tyan? Tyan nods Good boy. locks him up in a box where he can't disturb Leggy and Estel And as you say, let the drama and slash begin… although not for a some time yet. wink

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: New chapter!! Hope you like it and there's still much more to come!

**_Littleballofinsanity_**: Cute name! If mine was like that, it'd be 'crazyballofsugaroverdoses'. XD ahem. Dun worry, you're not alone in your torment… but it's the only way I can stall long enough to get the later chapters written and proof-read to my satisfaction. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter and survive the wait to the next one. Remember, patience is a virtue. Which I don't think I have. XP

**_Partheon/Kirsten_**: lol Yuppo, this is going to be one of those stories where it's a miracle if Estel does _anything_ right. Glad you like Tyan too… pets Tyan's head I think he's a much happier OC now. XD Thanks for the feedback and opinions!

**_Lady Lestat_**: gasp PSYCHIC!!! Hehe… Yup, Elrond _did_ raise his eyebrow at this. lol It's somewhere in the later chapters in fact. XD poor Elrond… and poor eyebrows too. rofl

**_Pyro Dragon 117_**: big puppy dog eyes MOMMY!!! I GOT A DEATH THREAT!!!! ;P But then again, if you do kill me, I can't update! XD gah… too much corn for lunch. clears throat HERE. IS. THE. UPDATE. ENJOY! (bad me. XD)

**_Empath89_**: Thank you!!! this is my biggest project ever and it's really nice to know that people like it. big happy grin

**_Silvertoekee_**: bounces around Leggy made his appearance at long long last!!! But only for a few seconds. not to worry, he'll be coming out more often soon. evil grin Elrond and Co. will be appearing soon, so watch out for that!

**_CutieCherry_**: Thank you! Actually, I didn't want to post this story so soon, but the week before I posted it, I saw a story floating around that had to do with a painting too, so I decided to post mine, just in case people thought that I was ripping off on that author's plot. In the end I guess I over-reacted, cos the stories are totally different, and I think the only way they're related is that they both have a painting of Leggy in it. XP

**_(The person with the smiley face, cos won't let me put those symbols here)_**: Another chapter over, and another chapter closer to Estel and Legolas slashiness!! Estel's just finding out that he's got a mysterious painting, so stay tuned for more craziness! lol

**_grumpy_**: Thanks! Hope you like this chapter too!

**_Snuffles2_**: gobbles candy Sugar sugar lalalalala!!!! bounces Oh dear, now my friends are going to suffer from my sugar overdose… I tend to get extremely warped when this happens. evil laugh Thanks for the feedback on Tyan! And, may the rest of the OC's appearing in later chapters fit in as well. =D

**_The_**: Thank you! Estel gets to see Legolas' soul face-to-face next chapter. He'll see the _real_ Legolas in a later chapter. XD Glad you like the style of the story too. bounces

**_Blade6_**: lol Wish I could paint though… then maybe I'd find a way to let all the readers see what I'm trying to describe. I've got this picture of Legolas somewhere in my com, but I can't remember where I got it from, otherwise I'd post the URL and let people see what the painting roughly looks like. And I think I'm starting to ramble here. 

**_Lillybeth1_**: Haha… well, new chapter! Elrond's reaction is coming right up in the next chapter. I think. I can't remember. wink

Thanks for reading! And see you guys in 2 weeks! waves and disappears in a sugar cloud


	5. Encounters II

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: They… sob don't belong to me!!! bawls But, if I was a good girl until the end of the year, do you think Santa would give me Legolas for Christmas? bounces

And for those who haven't realized, this is AU. And there's no Arwen to complicate things too. wink

**Chapter 4: Encounters II**

Estel woke to the sound of birds singing outside his window. He rubbed his eyes groggily and sat up in his bed, wondering why his dagger was lying next to his pillow, unsheathed. Then the memory of the night before struck him and he couldn't help glancing around the room. His eyes fell on the portrait and the tattered cloth over it. He had covered it up fully before he went back to sleep after searching his room.

He sighed as he walked over to the portrait and pulled the cloth off it, wishing to see the work of art under the morning sun. His gaze was immediately drawn to the face of the portrait…

Golden hair… And those eyes… They were a stunning shade of blue… like the eyes from the night before…

Was it really possible?

Erestor's voice calling him down for breakfast shook him out of his reverie. Apparently the Elf had decided to play nursemaid to him in the absence of his brothers. Estel smiled and shook his head as he began to dress and prepare for the day ahead, refusing to think about the portrait and those… eyes.

When he left the room, he carried the piece of cloth with him, intending to get rid of it and find a replacement to cover the painting. Perhaps he would have remembered, if he had not heard the news that his family was expected to arrive in Rivendell either that evening or the next morning. In his rush to help prepare for their return, the matter of the portrait slipped out of his mind, returning only when he was warm and cozy in his bed that night.

As he drowsed in his bed, he became aware of the feeling of someone staring at him, only this time it seemed to come from opposite him – from the painting in fact. He growled to himself, not wanting to leave the comfort of his bed to go in search for an extra blanket to cover it. Even though he knew that it was just a painting, he did not like to have it staring at him with its painted eyes while he slept at night.

"Just, be good and leave me alone tonight, alright? I'll find you your own blanket tomorrow…" he muttered to the air even as he realized that it was silly of him to be talking to a portrait. Then sleep claimed him and he knew no more…

**: : : : :**

This time, it was the click of his door closing that woke him. Frustrated at being woken up two nights in a row, Estel was ready to attack anything that stood between him and a peaceful, _undisturbed_ night of sleep. Gripping his dagger once more, he sat up in his bed and scanned the room for any signs of his intruder. There was nothing. Only a painting of a gloomy wood, that leaned against the wall by the window, glowing faintly in the moonlight that poured in.

_'See, there's nothing in here,'_ he told himself as he lay back down on his bed. _'Everything's as I left it, including that painting which only looks vaguely odd, maybe because there's something missing in it… Wait, there's something **missing** in it?'_

Immediately, he sat up once more and scrutinized the painting. Indeed, there was something missing in it. Impossible as it seemed, the Elf that had stood its the center was no longer there.

Estel blinked a few times, before pinching himself hard to check whether he was still dreaming. Parts of paintings simply did not just get up and walk out of the room everyday, leaving the rest behind. He sighed, got out of bed and picked up his sword, finding the familiar weight in his hand a great comfort as he strode towards the door, planning to follow this… _dream _of his, for it could only be that.

_'If the twins ever hear of this, I'm doomed… The great Ranger running along the halls of Rivendell in the middle of the night, following a painting gone missing… which incidentally possessed the wondrous ability to walk out of my room too…'_ he thought sourly to himself as he opened the door softly and looked out, not quite knowing what he was expecting to find.

Then he saw it. A being with fair hair disappearing round the corner at the end of the hallway. Carrying a bow and arrows. There weren't any blonde warriors in Rivendell apart from Glorfindel.

Estel slid out of his room and shut the door softly, before he tiptoed down the hall in search of the elusive painting.

**: : : : :**

The blonde Elf seemed to be wandering around aimlessly. But for a hunter, or so Estel assumed from the way he was dressed, he didn't seem to realize that he had a Human on his tail.

Estel was getting irritated. The fact that he had given up his warm bed for wandering the cold floors of the hall barefoot only served to increase his irritation. He racked his brain for a way to corner the blonde intruder but couldn't think of any, as none of the rooms along this hallway were connected, save for the library, which was all the way at the other end. And given the current pace they were traveling at, he doubted that the Elf would ever reach the library. Not this night, at any rate.

The Elf was pausing at every painting that lined the vast corridors to examine them. And every time he passed a door, he would open it silently to look in, then close it if it didn't interest him, or disappear inside for a moment if he felt like it.

Finally, he came to the door that led into Elrond's study. As with the others, he opened it carefully before looking in. Whatever he saw there seemed to interest him, for he slipped in, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him. Estel saw his opportunity and quickly stole down the hall to stand on the right side of the door, where the hinges met the wall and where the Elf would not see him on exiting the room.

He waited, breathing as lightly as he could. Just as he thought that the Elf had sensed his presence and escaped through the windows of the study, the door swung inwards slowly and the blonde intruder emerged, turning to his left to shut the door behind him. Immediately, Estel unsheathed his sword and placed the edge against the Elf's neck.

"Drop your bow, turn around and face me."

The blonde Elf froze at the harsh sound of the Human's voice echoing down the empty corridors. He held his hands out on either side of him in a gesture of peace, but with his left hand still gripping his bow lightly -

"Put your bow down!"

- He turned slowly until he was facing Estel, ignoring the commands and the fact that the blade was now pressed uncomfortably against his throat. He glanced up, meeting the human's gaze fully, as the human's jaw dropped, literally.

Estel gaped at the sight before him, not believing his eyes. It was the Elf from the portrait, walking around in the halls of Rivendell. He could feel the material of the Elf's tunic as he grabbed him by his collar and pressed the blade slightly deeper into the immortal's throat, making a dent in the flawless skin. He had to be real, he could touch the Elf, so it wasn't a dream, was it?

As though sensing his thoughts, the blonde Elf smiled sadly as he pushed the blade away from his neck slowly. His eyes shone with a desperate light as he whispered, "I'm real. Please, believe me."

Then he closed his eyes and he seemed to _flicker_. Suddenly Estel found himself grasping an empty space before him, while beside him, the door to his father's study clicked shut softly.

"What the - " He found himself saying. He could have sworn that just moments before, he had his sword at the throat of an Elf who looked exactly like the one in the portrait residing in his room. And now…

He shook his head, hard, to clear it. Then he sighed and began the long walk back to his room, shaking and hitting his head with the palm of his hand repeatedly in a bid to wake himself up.

Upon reaching his room, he immediately went over to the portrait and scrutinized it. The Elf was standing it the center once more, bow and arrow in place and looking like… well, a painting.

After staring at it for a long time, Estel gave a sigh and threw up his hands. "I think I'm really going crazy. I mean, it's _impossible _for you to be real, right? Yes, that's right. This was just a dream, and I was sleepwalking along the corridor. And now, I'm climbing back into my bed - " he suited his actions to his words " – and I'm going back to sleep and I will wake up tomorrow with the comforting knowledge that I am on the road to becoming a lunatic."

With a furious punch to his pillow, Estel drew the covers back over his head and willed himself to sleep.

Unknown to him, the Elf watched him for some time, before his lips curved up in a sad smile and a tear rolled down his cheek, drying almost immediately on the canvas as the moon finished its journey across the night sky and sank behind the mountains.

By the time the first rays of the sun began spreading across the horizon, the lonely expression on the Elf's face had reverted back to the neutral one he had worn on the portrait, and his entire image had glassed over as he was once more imprisoned within the painting.

**: : : : :**

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Oh look!! points A chapter that resolves the cliffie!!! grins madly To all cliffie addicts, don't worry, that's not the only one in this story. evil laugh Guess I'm on a cliffie spree here, 'cos I don't think I've ever written a cliffie in all my previous stories before. bounces

I really need to start writing again… been really busy lately, what with the teaching and all… Oh yes, and I'm posting this slightly earlier than I was planning to (2 days… is that a lot?) 'cos I'll be busy marking test scripts for most of this week, so I might not have time to sit in front of my computer and type out all the crap you're reading now. ; ) Never fails to amaze me how I can actually write angst and serious stories when in real life I'm a slightly psychopathic and very hyperactive person. shakes head And the only place I can find an outlet for all my hyperness while writing is in my author's notes at the end… =)

Okie then, thanks for reading and please please please REVIEW!!! bounces madly Next chapter will be up in 2 weeks, and hopefully I'll have managed to get some more writing done by then. XP

To the wonderful people known as reviewers who have helped inflate my ego sooooo much… not that I'm complaining. XD (incidentally, I've received the most reviews ever for this lil' fic of mine… I'm really touched. sniffs I'd love to make an acceptance speech, but I think that would take up too much space, and I'm already half asleep over my keyboard now…)

**_Silvertoekee_**: Yup yup, the accident-prone Ranger made it home in one piece… He should thank his lucky stars I don't have the patience or skill to write an extended fight scene, otherwise he'd suffer more than just being ribbed by the Elves. And he was supposed to be totally freaked out, 'cos it wasn't just a ghost standing _over_ him, it's more like a ghost staring eyeball to eyeball with him. crazy evil laughter

**_Marbienl_**: Hi! pokes and prods back Ahem. Sorry, me hath itchy fingers. And ith very childish to boot. prances around with a balloon Well, they met in spirit! Sort of… And, the whole reason as to why they went to Mirkwood and whether anyone recognizes the painting is coming right up… in 2 weeks. Mwahaha… I am evil… XD

**_Snuffles2_**: Yes!!! At last!!! Another person who has attained enlightenment about sugar overdoses!!! wobbly eyed look To express my thanks, you get your very own Erestor plushie!!! You can have the real one after he's finished playing all his parts in this fic. wink

**_Kitty_**: Thank you! Hope you like this chapter too!

**_Lady Laswen_**: sheepish grin Well, 2 weeks is a nice number… 'cos there're exactly 14 days and… yeah, I'm rambling. Lots of people have commented about the interval between my updates, but it's the only way I can stall long enough to finish writing… 1 week is too short, and 3 weeks will be far too long, don't want any prospective readers/reviewers to lose interest, see? =)

**_Empath89_**: Thanks! And here's you update! Me is one happy author every time I see all those nice little reviews sitting in my mailbox… happy sigh Then you can just imagine me grinning madly at my computer, and my mum walking past and asking if I've gone nuts… shrugs

**_Jedi Cosmos_**: Hee, glad people don't find my plot totally off the wall. And no worries, the previous chapter is definitely the shortest among all that I've written so far, and from what I'm planning, it'll be the shortest in the whole story… unless you count the epilogue, but not like anyone cares about that when I've only just started!

**_Rach_**: fans Rach madly Breathe! Breathe! Ok, bad me to leave everyone hanging… tries to look repentant Well, they finally met, so I guess everyone's happy now… right? And I'm trying to write as fast as possible, so when I'm finally done with the whole story, I'll start posting every week instead. Okie?

**_Tmelange_**: Glad you like it, and thanks for the review!

**_Grumpy_**: rofl Now that you mention it, my overactive imagination is starting to conjure up images of Aragorn swatting Orcs with a rolled up newspaper as well. O.o Oh dear… smacks head Must not think of crazy things!!! Must think of angsty and serious things so I can write!!!

**_The_**: Hehz… erm… I don't think it'll be remaining very fairytale-ish for long… somehow, the ending is evolving into more of a fantasy-novel-attempt than a fairytale setting… shrugs But then again, aren't fairytales just sugar-overdosed fantasy novels that have been simplified so everyone reading it goes 'Aww….'? Ok, need to stop trying to act contemplative and get my butt off to bed…

**_Tinnuial_**: 'Swan Princess'? Hey! I never realized that they _are_ kinda similar! beams Oh goody, another plot I can use for reference and comparison. XD And I'm suddenly struck by the urge to watch 'Swan Princess' again… the last time I watched it was 5 years ago, and I borrowed it from a schoolmate… Sigh, I've weird obsessions and cravings. 

**_The person with the smiley face_…**: Looks like I'll be calling you this forevermore, courtesy of Anyway, yup, Legolas finally made his 3-second cameo. And he's not even getting paid for it too… tsk tsk tsk. So he should be glad he got a larger part in this chapter… except he's still not getting paid. wink If he ever complains about being over-worked and under-paid (or NOT even paid), I'll just threaten to set his fan club on him... that ought to do the trick. XD

**_Lady Lestat_**: lol Who wouldn't want to have Legolas dear in their room at night? But if it was me, I'd probably scream the roof off and make the poor Elf deaf before I finally register who he is. sheepish grin When I'm sleepy I tend to act without thinking. There was one night my hand phone went off beside me at 2am, and instead of switching it off, I switched my alarm clock off. And I was wondering how come the ringing didn't stop…

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Thanks! And, here's more! With much much much more on the way! bounces happily

**_Lillybeth1_**: fans Lillybeth1 I'd attempt to teach you deep breathing, but the last time I tried that myself, I ended up hyperventilating. O.o Thanks for the pledge of support! I really appreciate it! happy grin

Phew! And that's all the review responses, folks! You know, considering that my eyes feel like they're going to drop out anytime soon, there sure are lots of exclamation marks up there… I think I'm suffering from a mysterious ailment whereby the more sleepy I become, the more hyper I become… scratches head Which would make me hyperly-stoned… or stonedly hyper???

I give up. Good night. falls asleep over keyboard


	6. Discovery

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: If you've come this far and still think I own them…. applause I found someone more deluded than me!!!!!!

Ahem. As they say, on with the show. Story. Whatever.

**Chapter 5: Discovery**

The sound of horses entering the courtyard roused Estel from his sleep. As he lay in his bed, the sound of his brothers laughing jolted him fully awake as he remembered what had happened the night before.

"This is becoming a bad habit," he groaned to the air. Then he shot a glare at the portrait. "And it's all your fault!"

He grabbed his clothes and started to dress, before he threw open his door, purposely ignoring the portrait, though he felt rather foolish to be doing that, and left it leaning against the wall, all alone in the silence of his room.

**: : : : : **

"Estel! You're back!" The Human found himself engulfed in the hugs of the twins.

"Glad to know you missed me," he quipped wryly before he turned to embrace his father. "Ada."

"Welcome home, Estel." The older Elf smiled fondly at him. "Come, you can tell us about your adventures with young Tyan over breakfast."

Estel rolled his eyes as he replied, "Don't mention that name to me… every time I hear it I've this urge to strangle something…"

Elrond laughed. "Is that so?"

"Yes! By the way, why did all of you go off to Mirkwood so suddenly?"

The twins shot each other a look as Elrond cleared his throat. "Well, just paying a visit to an old friend, that's all. Thranduil gets lonely in his kingdom sometimes, since there's no one there to keep him company and he can't bear to leave."

"I…see…" Estel's curiosity was piqued at the way his father had answered his question… coupled together with the way Erestor was behaving two nights ago… very interesting indeed.

**: : : : :**

Breakfast was a merry affair, now that the twins were back to make his life a living hell. As they laughed and poked fun at his latest excursion with the irrepressible Tyan, Erestor suddenly said, "Ah, yes, Estel brought back something from his travels. A painting, I believe?"

Estel choked on his food at the mention of the painting, then scowled. "Don't remind me. I've a good mind to burn it and get rid of it."

Elrohir raised an eyebrow. "But why? It's just a _painting_."

Estel countered, "Ah, but it's not just a painting. That thing's been in my room for the past two nights and I swear that it's the cause of all these strange dreams that I've been having."

"Strange dreams?"

"Well, feelings too. It's like having someone in your room, but then when you open your eyes, there's no one there." Estel left out the other parts about wandering the corridors chasing the painting.

"I think that it's just the after effect of having Tyan following you around in the forest for the past few months," Elladan announced with a grin.

"Why don't you try it yourself and see how you enjoy it?" Estel retorted, tossing his napkin at his brother's head.

"Thank you very much, but no. I've no wish to have grey hairs like you do."

"Since when did I have grey hairs?!"

Finally, Elrond decided to play peacemaker and step in before the food started flying as well. "Alright, stop teasing your brother. Estel, why don't you bring that painting of yours down here for us to have a look at it?"

Estel sighed and pushed back his chair, "Yes, Ada. Besides, I meant to give it to you anyway. I'll be right back."

Elrond watched the human leave the room with a fond look in his eyes, then he sighed and turned back to his meal.

"How is he?" Erestor asked.

"Not good. The 1000 years are almost up, and his condition is deteriorating rapidly. That was why Thranduil sent for me so urgently." The Elven Lord's face was sad as he remembered the scene in Mirkwood just a week ago.

**: : : : :**

_ Mirkwood… _

"His pulse is slower than I remember, and he seems colder," Elrond observed.

"I know. Then it is as I feared," Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, sighed as he sat down on the bed and ran a gentle hand through the blonde locks of the Elf that lay on it with his eyes closed. Only the slight rise and fall of his chest indicated that he was alive, but even that seemed to be growing harder to detect.

"You must not give up hope, Thranduil. There is still time."

"No, there isn't!" The Elven King stood up abruptly and walked over to the window, his back to the healer. "You don't understand what it is like, to watch your son lie here, day after day for the past 1000 years, unable to do anything and not knowing anything. How can you say that there is still hope left when you know there is none?"

Elrond walked over to his friend and laid a hand on his shoulder. The King fought to keep his voice steady as he continued in a low tone, "I've prepared myself for the worst, for I know it is not long now. I thank you for all your help these past centuries, Elrond."

Elrond nodded slowly. "You're welcome Thranduil. But I will say this one more time. Do not give up hope just yet. As long as he lives, there is still time. I have to return to Rivendell today. Let me know if there is any change in his condition."

He left the room silently, leaving the grieving King alone with his son.

**: : : : : **

_ Rivendell… _

"It's been hard on Thranduil these years," Erestor murmured as Glorfindel gave him a short account on what had happened during their stay in Mirkwood. "I do not blame him for giving up so easily, but - "

"He's coming," Elrohir announced softly, snapping the older Elves' attention back to their charade of not knowing anything.

There was a slight bumping sound from the other side of the door as Estel fumbled with the handle. When the door finally swung open, he turned sideways to carry the portrait in, a sight that earned him a laugh from his brothers.

"You actually carried that thing back? It's huge!"

"How did you manage to ride your horse with that? Or did you drag it behind you?"

Estel shot them a glare as he set it down and turned it to face them. "This is the painting I was telling you about."

There was utter silence in the room as the Elves stared at the portrait in shock. The fork Elrond was holding slipped out of his limp grasp and clattered noisily on the marble floor.

Estel looked from one stunned face to another, confused. "Ada? Els? What's wrong?"

Elrond slowly pushed his chair away and stood up, never taking his eyes off the portrait. He walked towards it, as though in a daze and reached out a hand to touch the canvas, running his fingers across the painted face in disbelief.

"Ada? Are you alright?" Estel asked, his tone laced with worry.

"By the Valar," Elrond breathed, "it's the portrait of Legolas."

**: : : : :**

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Yesh! Another chapter up at last!! does victory dance S day behind schedule this time though… Sorry!

My computer's been having problems lately… it got hit by viruses even though I had the latest virus guards up… hm…. Very very strange. So I'm uploading this on my sister's laptop now. Well, actually, it's going to be mine in about 5 months when I'm off to university. XD

Erm… I don't know whether this is going to be good or bad news, so here goes…

I might not be able to post the next few chapters up on schedule, 'cos I'm actually a little stuck near the end of my fic. I made the very stupid mistake of writing in an OFC (but not a love interest) into this story. I had intended her to be a sort of push-factor, but she ended up becoming the 'star' of the last few chapters… and that's something I'm not very happy about… Isn't it irritating when characters just seem to insist on writing themselves? Anyway, I'll be rewriting the last few chapters to replace her, either totally, or at least 80%, so I can turn the focus back to Estel. On the down side, I might be late with my posting, 'cos I'm also busy teaching and setting exam papers now; on the bright side, this story won't turn out as cheesy as it would if I left my OFC there.

Alrighty then. I hope that's good news. Thanks for reading, please review and see ya!

To all the wonderful people who reviewed and made my day, you ROCK! XD

**_Marbienl_**: Whoa… I'm really starting to wonder if you're psychic… do you know that most of the questions/hypothetical situations you left in your review are actually taking place in the later chapters? And… hm… a certain comment you left there is giving me an idea on how to resolve my OFC dilemma wink Thanks for the mini-essay you left! Never got anything that long before, and it certainly was helpful. Stay tuned to get all your questions answered!

**_Silvertoekee_**: Tadah! Sleuth Elrond solves the mystery of the portrait's identity… Somehow, I get the picture of Agent Smith drawling 'Misssterrrr Annnnnnnderrrrsonnnn'… shudder Freaky eyebrows vs. freaky portrait. XD I'm not making sense, but thanks for the review!

**_Jadesaber_**: Thanks! Well, you've got Elrond's response in this chapter! XD And.. erm… I thought Estel already was crazy? glances around furtively Don't tell him I said that. He might sic Legolas/the twins on me…. Not that I'd mind. mad laughter

**_Blade6_**: Yay! Chips!! Is this an excuse for me to be corny??? XDXD Thanks thanks, and hope you're enjoying it still! Btw, who's bubbie? Or is that a stupid question? cheesy grin I've a knack of asking stupid questions anyway.

**_Drew'sgirl_**: Thank you! Glad to know that I'm sort of standing out from the rest. Happy reading!

**_Smiley_**: Hehe… erm... solid evidence…. O.o oh dear, me having bad thoughts about that phrase. smacks head repeatedly And yeah, I think Aragorn would be more than _very_ happy to make it up to Legolas about his lack of pay. waggles eyebrows Argh!! Bad thoughts again!!! runs off to purify brain And I'm SUPPOSED to be a sweet innocent little girl……. Who writes slash????? shakes head

**_Empath89_**: Update, update, la la la la la!! Still feeling tortured? No worries, I'm torturing myself to finish writing this ASAP too… I really envy authors who can post their stories when they've only written like… 3 chapters and update more or less regularly and get the whole thing out within the space of a few months… Bleh.

**_Lady Laswen_**: Ikea has such clocks? Sounds fun!! Now I feel like going shopping at Ikea even though I've no space for anything I might buy there. As for recording wake-up messages… I think the only thing that might wake me up is if I screamed into the speaker or something. Hehehe… I need the shock-tactics kind of thing to get the point across to my KO'd brain. If I were a mutant, my gift would be to sleep through anything and everything…. And I'd be known as 'The Sleeper' evil laugh And I'm not making sense again. Hehz.

**_Tmelange_**: Thanks again! Hope you like this as well!

**_Snuffles2_**: lol Glad you're enjoying the Erestor plushie. wink And now that you mention it, if it were a movie, Aragorn would look very stupid talking to a painting… right? But then again, I talk to my computer sometimes… does that make me an idiot too? bawls coughmentalityofa5yearoldcough

**_TwistedParoxysms_**: Thanks! And here's the update. XD

Once again, thanks to everyone who read this, and see you guys in 2 weeks!


	7. Revelations

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: If I owned them, I'd be Tolkien. If I were Tolkien, for one I would know how to spell my own name. (To those wondering, I still can't figure out how to spell his name. Is that correct? [points up]) Another thing: if I were him, I'd be dead. And having a ghost posting a slashy story is... disconcerting to say the least.

Off with the rambling, on with the story. ;D

**Chapter 6: Revelations**

"Legolas?" Estel asked, brows furrowed in his effort to recall where he had heard that slightly familiar name. "Who's Legolas?"

He was ignored as the table of Elves rose and gathered around the portrait, chattering excitedly as they examined it carefully.

"Ada, are you sure that this is the portrait that has been missing all these centuries?" Elladan questioned his father, even as he marvelled at the astounding likeness the painting bore to his comatose Mirkwood friend.

"I do not doubt it. Only Danin could have painted this," Elrond replied as he ran his eyes over the proud face on the canvas, feeling very sure that this was the key to saving the young Elf.

"But how is it possible that the Elves have searched for it for so many centuries without finding anything, and suddenly it turns up in Estel's hands?" Glorfindel puzzled.

"It doesn't matter. At least now we have it and there's still time left to return to Mirkwood and reverse the spell," Erestor, always logical, had the answer as usual.

Estel cleared his throat and raised his voice. "Excuse me? What in Arda is going on here?"

Finally, the Elves seemed to remember his presence. Elrond tore his eyes off the portrait and said hurriedly, "I think it would be better if we continued this conversation in the study. I'd like to hear how you came to be in possession of this portrait, Estel. Elladan, Elrohir, could you please carry it, him, into the study. And be careful, who knows how one can affect the other..."

With that, the slightly incoherent Elven Lord whirled and walked out of the dining hall, pushing his very confused Human son before him.

**x.X.x.X.x.X.x**

When they had settled down in the study, with the portrait of the blonde Elf given the place of honour by the window in full view of everyone, Estel recounted his tale of the discovery of the portrait to everyone in detail.

"Now, can someone please tell me what is going on? I've had just about enough with being woken up rudely in the middle of the night _twice_ by this painting and I at least deserve to know what this is all about."

Elrond folded his hands in his lap and looked piercingly at the Human. "Do you remember the story I told you when you were nine years old? The one of the Elf with the stolen soul?"

Estel thought for a moment, before his memory pulled that event from the haze of the past. "Vaguely. Something about it being imprisoned in a painting..." His eyes lit up in comprehension as they darted between the blonde Elf on the canvas before him and his father. "You mean...?"

"Yes. This is the portrait of Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, or, as it was known back then, Greenwood."

"The story was real, then," Estel said, shocked. "I thought you were making it up."

"No, I wasn't making it up." Elrond gave a little smile. "I suppose we can take this as a good omen, since part of the Seers' vision has come to pass. Thranduil must be informed of this."

"Wait, Lord Elrond," Glorfindel spoke up. "Much as the painting resembles the Prince, and much as I believe that it is the one we seek, I do not think it wise to inform the King until we have verified that this is the painting that houses his son's soul. It would break his heart if we are wrong."

"But how can we verify it?" Elrohir exclaimed in frustration. "Isn't the mere sight of it enough to confirm that this was done by Elven hands? By Danin's hands?"

"He is right," Elladan interjected. "No offense to Estel, but I don't believe the Humans have the skill required to paint something like this."

"Peace, all of you," Elrond held up his hands as the discussion of the painting threatened to turn into an argument, pitting his advisors against his sons. "There is a way to verify the painting." He turned his attention back to the human. "What's this about being woken up at night by Legolas?"

Estel fidgeted in his chair. "Well, the first night, I saw this pair of eyes staring at me from bedside my bed, but when I turned to look again, they were gone. The second night, I followed a blonde Elf down the corridors and even confronted him, but he just... vanished."

Elrond nodded thoughtfully, "I believe that our answer lies there. Recollect that it has been said that the painting comes to life at night, so if we stay up and wait for it to come to life, all our questions will be answered."

**x.X.x.X.x.X.x**

When the Moon rose that night, she saw a sight that must have amused her greatly. A group of three Elves and a Human gathered around a painting, staring at it so intently that they looked like they were worshipping it.

It had taken much persuasion before Elrond managed to convince his advisors that it would be better for them not to stay up as well. After all, he reasoned, it would be better for the young Elf not to have to confront so many strangers at the same time, given that the last time he had seen most of them was more than a thousand years ago. Elrond would have sent his Human son off to bed as well, if said Human had not countered his reasoning with the argument that he was no stranger to the Elf since the Elf had taken the liberty to explore his room and watch him while he slept.

And so here they were, gathered in Estel's room, waiting for the painting to come to life.

Time seemed to drag, and Estel was half-asleep when he heard his father comment, "It should be soon now."

Immediately, he shook of his fatigue and sat up, eyes alert and fastened on the painting. He wanted to see exactly how it 'came to life', as his father put it. And exactly how it, no, _he,_ had managed to exit the frame without waking the Human.

Suddenly, a chilly gust of wind swept through the room, ruffling the robes of the Elves and the curtains. A ray of moonlight filtered in and struck the face of the portrait, making the blue eyes glow with a haunting light.

Everyone watched the painting with bated breaths. They fancied that they saw the eyes move slightly from side to side, then return to their original position. And, was it just them, but did the neutral expression change to one that was slightly... apprehensive?

They waited... and waited. There was nothing. Finally, Elrohir's patience ran out and he sighed. "I don't think he's coming out, Ada."

"No... let's wait. A little while more. I can feel his presence now. He's just afraid of us." The Elven Lord moved forward such that was standing right in front of the portrait. Then he began speaking in the gentle, coaxing tones he had used on Estel as a child when he refused to go to bed.

"Come now, young one, there is nothing to be afraid of. We are all friends... Don't you remember us, Legolas?"

The blue eyes in the portrait narrowed slightly and focused on the figure of the Elf standing in front of it. There was something... familiar... he knew this Elf.

"Come out and talk to us, Legolas, before we run out of time. We want to help you, young one."

The surface of the portrait rippled slightly. Elrond stepped back, pleased. Perhaps this would work after all.

The ripples grew larger, blurring the portrait, but they could see that the shape of the Elf behind it had changed.

Suddenly, a hand pressed against the canvas from the inside, looking as though it was pressed against a window. The hand pushed outward, soon joined by the other as they clawed their way out of the jelly-like membrane that separated the Elf in the painting from the outside world.

Finally, the membrane broke soundlessly and a blonde Elf dropped out of the painting with a gasp. Immediately, the membrane swung back in on itself, encasing the forest in the background. He remained in a crouch on the floor for a moment, regaining his breath from the exertion of escaping his prison, then stood to his feet in a proud and fluid motion, looking at the Elven Lord with brilliant blue eyes that barely contained their joy.

"You know my name."

"Aye, and I watched you grow up as well," Elrond replied gently as he beheld the sight of the Elf many had thought of as dead.

Legolas choked back a sob as he flung his arms around the startled Elven Lord's neck. "I never thought I'd get to see another Elf again, much less hear someone call my name."

Elrond quickly gathered his wits and patted the Elf's back soothingly, "I'm very glad to see you again, young one. Welcome back, Legolas."

**x.X.x.X.x.X.x**

**TBC**

Author's notes:

[waves streamers] YAY! Another chapter up at last. XD stupid though, I only just realised that it _happily_ got rid of all my pointy-bracket-things... [waves vaguely] argh, those thingies that I put my random actions in... like that 'waves vaguely' part. Gr. And now i can't even use colons as breaks. Double gr......

Anyway, relatively unexciting chapter this time... but Leggy finally meets up with Estel! Face-to-face!! Well, not really.... Soul-to-face would be more like it... XD I'm rambling here. As usual. My mind is still on the rhythmic gymnasts from the Olympics... their flexibility is scary... Imagine being able to hook your foot under your chin from the back. And do a pivot at the same time. [faints]

Writing is still at the same place... Haven't been able to get anything out lately, just don't have the time. What with typing exam papers and, err, getting hooked onto 'Bejewelled' and 'Hexic' on MSN... and not to mention, my latest craze of downloading anime to feed my addictions. I actually managed to finish downloading a 127 episode series in 3 weeks... my computer was doing OT the whole weekend. XD But it's the school holidays next week, means I'll be totally free to write. Bliss, don't need to see the brats who call themselves students when they are just pains in the... never mind. I. Want. To. Go. Back. To. Studying.!!!!

Ahem. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next one will be up in 2 weeks time, and hopefully by then I will have finished writing this story! [determined look]

Review replies time! Wow. This chapter was a real record breaker, so many reviews!!! [bounces happily] incidentally, I was bored one day and decided to do some calculations... The total number of reviews for this story has exceeded the sum of all the reviews for _all_ my stories!! [streamers and balloons] haha... Erm, I think now everyone knows exactly how I spend my time doing... nothing?

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Thank you! Here's the next chapter, and since only about 30% of the story has been posted so far, there's much more on the way! XD

**_Sielge_**: Hehe, thanks! It's really nice knowing that there are people out there who are keeping track of what I'm writing... and a very nice ego boost too. XD I think my ego's starting to become too big for my chair... [chair creaks and protests]

**_Marbienl_**: [rofl] I really look forward to your reviews, they're so entertaining and long... and it's fun to see how much you managed to guess correctly too. Hmm, Estel burning Legolas... I suppose if he got irritated enough he might do it... but it would be freaky if the portrait screamed into his ear right? [wink] Significance of the 1000 years is that at the end of that period, Legolas-the-body will die and Legolas-the-soul will... heheh, not telling! That part's in a later chapter! XD Leggy won't be going to Rivendell, partly 'cos I had more ideas on writing the journey to Mirkwood (and I had a very fun time writing that, you'll see why in about 2-3 chapters time. [snicker]), and partly 'cos certain events will be revolving around the Mirkwood area. I think I'm driving you nuts with my rather cryptic answers, right? XD Lastly, my OFC. When she appears I think it'll be quite obvious. I changed her role in the story, so she's still a push-factor but she's not the star anymore. The initial concept I had was actually vaguely like PotC, so that's a good guess there. If I remember when I post that chapter (which isn't happening for a long time more), I'll write a detailed explanation on how I had wanted the story to turn out before she started writing herself. Yup yup, I hope I answered most of your questions (but not very satisfactorily I think. XD). Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**_Empath89_**: Ta da! Update! XD They get to meet and everything gets cleared up, sort of, in the next chapter. All the chapters leading up to maybe about chapter 10 are just the preludes. The action only starts in Mirkwood. So stay tuned for that, and thanks for the review!

**_Lady Laswen_**: [rofl] Now, _why_ didn't I think of that??? Hahaha, my mum for one would be happy if I cleared my room. And Ikea's got cute boxes too... ARGH! You're tempting me!! Lazy me doth not like to travel to the other end of the island I live on just to buy cute boxes!!! But... I can go touch the stuffed toys in the kids section... and go bounce on the beds... XD Ok. I sound vaguely like Gollum now. Not good. Thanks for reviewing and inspiring me to pack my room! XD

**_Azla_**: Hehehe, Well, I've always thought of Estel as kinda blur... so I think even if he got hit on the head by the portrait, he wouldn't notice who it really was. Evil me. Thanks for the review!

**_Lillybeth1_**: Thanks thanks! And nope I wouldn't want anyone to die on me. I'd be eternally guilty and... ok. I should cut the soap opera act. Anyway, I won't drag it to 3 weeks unless I haven't written anything _at all_ by the time I hit, say, 2 chapters before my unfinished parts. But probability of that happening is pretty low, so I guess you're safe there. =P

**_Blade6_**: Oooh... bubble pet, sounds interesting... will he pop if you poke him? XD evil me. Thanks for the review and the chocolate cake... how did you know I was feeling deprived of sugar? [tears of gratitude] Oh wait, I just realised I brought my chocolate and placed it right beside me since 2 hours ago... Such wonderful powers of observation. Sigh. =D

**_Tmelange_**: Thanks and here's the next chapter! [bounces ]

**_Padfoot n' Moony_**: Thank you! Btw, your name's cute... makes me think of hamsters somehow. Hehehz.

**_Toby7_**: Hmm... I never heard of doing that, but then again, they are slightly psychotic, so I wouldn't be surprised... Thanks for the tip! I'll still be doing the replies anyway, 'cos I figure it's the easiest way to thank everyone... and 'cos some people leave anonymous reviews so I can't e-mail them. And should really decide to take down all the stories that have review replies at the end, they're really going to have a hell of a time... lots of stories out there have replies, so there'll be a huge racket if they do that. But I backed up all my reviews after reading what you said, so if my story is removed, I'll still have stuff left to boost my ego with. XD Thanks again!

**_Jadesaber_**: Thank you! And nope, Erestor didn't know who it was. When Estel brought the painting back, it was covered up, so he didn't manage to see it. He was acting weirdly 'cos he didn't want Estel to probe why Elrond, the twins and Glorfindel (whom I've always seen as the stay-at-home-warrior type) would have left for Mirkwood without informing Estel.

**_Smiley_**: Yup yup! Case of the mystery painting solved, and they got to meet him too! [bounces] Next chapter they'll be finding out more about 'Life As A Painting'. Hahah, that sounds like one of those 'inspirational' books... err... no comment.

**_Grumpy_**: Hahaha... the way you say it is as though Estel's really gone nuts.... Not that he isn't, but what he doesn't know can't hurt him right? As to how they're going to get Leggy back into his body, well, that's actually more or less what this story is about, so the whole process will be rather stretched out. The actual 'getting back into the body' thingy will take place in the last few chapters. Kinda anti-climatic I think. =D

**_Snuffles2_**: [rofl] Goodness! Maybe the review thingy objected to you using a different name? Hehehe. Glad to know that there's another idiot out there... [wobbly-eyed look] I'm not alone in the world!!!! [rofl] And yeah, we could go for the meetings and steal the punch... and maybe they'll have cake too. [drools] Sugar... Anyway, thanks for the praise and candy, now my ego has been inflated and my sugar craving stemmed. For the moment. XD [bounces off to look for more sugar]

**_The_**: The whole concept was inspired by 'The Portrait of Dorian Gray', and the whole works on how his soul was in the portrait while his body never aged. Legolas will be meeting his body soon (that sounds morbid) and Aragorn's role in the whole thing? Well, you'll just have to wait! XD Thanks for reviewing!

**_Losing Grip_**: Tee hee... sorry about that name mix-up. Thanks for the review and here's the update!

**_Silvertoekee_**: [rofl] Glad I'm not the only one who has the whole Agent-Smith-is-Elrond view... I was driving my friend nuts during the movies, 'cos every time Elrond appeared on screen, I'd ask her if she wanted the red pill or the blue pill while my friend on her _other_ side would drawl "Misssterrr Annderrrsonnnn'. XD Thranduil will be a little OOC in this story, but it's hard writing him from the start anyway, since whatever info I have on him comes from the hobbit. And I think that's biased. XP Anyway, Estel's sure got himself into a situation this time, but I think he'll like the outcome very much. [wink]

**_HighQueenTashi_**: Hehehe... Internet Nazi... I like that phrase... I bet if it were in my house, it would refer to me. [whistles] Anyway, I get my reviews through e-mail as well, and I usually don't sort them by chapter, so it really doesn't matter which chapter you reviewed at. But it's nice to know that you're enjoying yourself so far... and wow, thanks for the compliment. [blushes] My ego has just about reached level max. XD

**_RMC_**: [rofl] Well, you were lucky, you just happened to review on the day before I was scheduled to update, so you won't have to wait that long after all! But it also means that you'll have to wait another 2 weeks for the next chapter. XD I am evil... and loving it. Mwahahahaha. Ahem. Thanks for reviewing, and hope you like this chapter!

Phew! That's all the replies for the previous chapter folks! Wow, took me 1 hour to reply all... See you guys in 2 weeks! [waves and disappears]


	8. Facetoface

Lost Soul

Disclaimer: If I owned LotR, the world would be high on sugar and everyone would be in love with slash. Oh, and I'd have a whole harem of pretty boys/villains to drool over. ((wink)) but I don't think anyone wants to know so...

Presenting chapter 7. Enjoy.

**Chapter 7: Face-to-face**

It took some time before Elrond managed to calm the blonde Elf, who was nearly hysterical with joy. Estel took the opportunity to examine his 'stalker', as he had labelled the Elf.

Legolas was even more perfect than Estel remembered, even though they had only met the night before. His skin was pale in the moonlight and he shimmered with the soft glow of the Eldar. The bow was left abandoned on the floor, as he sat on the bed with Elrond fussing over him, looking like a very lost and frightened child who had finally found his way home. Suddenly, Estel felt something akin to pity and something else stirring within his heart as he stared at the Elf.

Finally, the blonde Elf looked up and smiled at his audience bashfully. "My apologies, I did not mean to cause such a scene." His shy voice was soft and musical, not unlike that of his family, but to Estel, it seemed even more pleasant to his ears.

"Do you remember us?" Elrohir asked excitedly as he sat down in a chair opposite the blonde Elf whom he had played with as an Elfling.

Legolas frowned slightly, then shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry, I can only vaguely recall your faces, but not your names."

"It does not matter," Elrond said gently as he sat down near to the newcomer. "After all, it has been almost a millennium since we last met, I'm not surprised if you don't remember us. "I'm Elrond, and these are my sons, Elladan, Elrohir and Estel."

Legolas' gaze fell on the human and he immediately coloured to the tips of his ears. "Ah, I apologise for what happened the other night. I did not mean to scare you."

Estel waved his hand dismissively. "It doesn't matter. But why didn't you at least stay and explain instead of vanishing before my eyes? I thought I had gone mad for an instant there."

Elrohir snorted and commented, "What else is new?"

Elladan shot him a glare and he became sober once more, muttering an apology.

"Well," Legolas began, the blush still staining his fair skin a rather becoming shade of pink, "Truthfully, you scared me as well when you leapt up suddenly and took out that dagger of yours, so I decided that it'd be best if I returned to the painting, but I didn't manage to get the cover all the way on."

"So that's why it was left hanging from a corner." Estel nodded as though that piece of information had given him insight as to how to stop the Sun from rising the next day. "And what about last night where you vanished once again?"

"I wanted to stay and explain it to you, really!" Legolas protested. "But I hadn't been out of the painting so long that I kind of forgot how to maintain my state, so I returned to it by accident. I haven't come out for at least three whole years; the last time I tried to explore my surroundings, I didn't notice the old man sitting before me when I emerged. I think I almost killed him from the shock of seeing his painting come to life," he finished sheepishly.

"I suppose that would be the grandfather of the boy I bought the painting from," Estel muttered to himself.

"But tell us, Legolas, where have you been all these years? Figuratively of course, since your body is lying back in Mirkwood," Elrond questioned him.

Legolas' eyes grew hard. "After Danin imprisoned me, he kept me around his house for a while. When I realized that I could come out of my portrait after midnight, I tried to escape, to return home to Ada. But it didn't work. Every time the sun rose on me, I found myself back inside the painting. Which was when I realized that I only had, at most, eight hours to roam free. There was no way I could get back home.

"I resorted to trying to get attention within his household, but that didn't work for long, because one day, Danin wrapped the painting up in this heavy piece of cloth and carried it off. I don't know how long we journeyed, but eventually he placed me in a cave and left. That was the last time I ever saw him, something that I am glad of. When night fell, I tried to get out, but I found myself hampered with the cloth. When I finally succeeded, I found myself in a dark and dank place. There were bats swirling around my head, and I could hear wolves howling in the distance." Legolas shuddered at the memory. "After that experience, I stayed inside the painting with the cover on, even though it was night and I suppose I could have tried to escape, but I didn't dare to try.

"I don't know how long I was there, maybe a few decades, before I heard voices in the cave. They sounded like humans. I didn't understand what they spoke of, but they picked up the painting and carried it off. They sold it to someone and I became a decoration in the halls of some rich merchant from Harad." Legolas wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I never liked him. I took to wandering his halls at night, which led to rumours that his house was haunted, as some of the servants had seen me walking around at night and thought I was a ghost.

"Eventually, thieves broke into his house and killed him in his bed. Then they removed many items from the house before burning it down. Thankfully, the painting was one of them. And that's more or less the pattern of my existence these past years," the Elf concluded with a bitter laugh, "Being passed from owner to owner."

"But now you've come home," Estel said softly.

Brilliant blue eyes looked up quickly and caught the gaze of grey. "Yes, I'm finally home."

"We have to get you back to Mirkwood, and soon." Elrond stood up and started pacing. "There is much we have to do and we are running out of time. There are only a few months left before the thousand years are up. We have to find Danin and find a way to return you to your body or else..."

"My body will die," Legolas finished soberly.

"Yes."

There was a moment's silence before Legolas spoke again. "How is my father?"

"He is well. We just returned from Mirkwood. He misses you everyday, and longs for the day when you will wake from your sleep."

Legolas nodded slowly, then gave a little grin. "So, when do we leave for Mirkwood?"

Elrond smiled as well as he glanced out of the window, noting the lightening sky. "As soon as we figure out how to transport you."

Legolas' mouth dropped open in shock as he processed the answer he had not been expecting to hear. "What do you - "

The sentence was left hanging as he suddenly disappeared from their sight, startling the twins and Estel. They gaped at their father as he gestured at the painting, saying, "That's what I meant. The sun has risen."

One look was enough to explain what Elrond had been talking about. The blonde archer once more stood in the centre of the wood, eyes staring blankly out of the canvas.

Estel gave a sigh and remarked, "This is going to be harder than it looks."

"I agree," Elladan said solemnly as he surveyed the bulky painting.

**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**

**TBC**

Author's notes:

((peeks out around a corner)) ((sheepish wave)) Err... heh heh... late post again, thanks to work... Sorry about that. My computer got hit by some stupid virus _again_ and I'm getting kind of pissed too but... ((puts on intellectual voice)) If you look up, _that_ is the perfect example of a "too long to post with the next chapter, but too short for a normal chapter, but posted anyway because it's still a (sort of) chapter" situation. ((crickets chirping)) Let me guess. That just made no sense at all, right?

Just a little teaser on what's to come (aka: the part where I try to placate the readers out to kill me for another short post), next chapter is where the, ahem, _interaction_ between Estel and Legolas begins. Note the big cheesy grin on my face. Oh wait, you guys can't see me. ((laughs hysterically at the computer)) Chapter after that is where the twins get high on crack. Seriously. This is supposed to be DRAMA!!! Not HUMOUR!!!! ((bangs head on keyboard))

Incidentally, I currently have many rabid plot bunnies hopping madly around in my brain to write a crap fic for Prince of Tennis... To those who know what I'm talking about, think Sanada marrying Yukimura followed by a 'Newly Weds' TV series. Starring all the hot regulars of course. XD Help!!! I **_STILL_** haven't finished writing this fic yet... but.... Gah... the temptation... And the one-week holiday I just had didn't help much. I was watching my downloaded anime and reading fanfic the whole time. Sigh... ((determined look)) I **_will_** finish writing both this story and my crack story as well... which will be no mean feat considering the last time I actually wrote humour was... 3? 4? Years ago? (unbelievable huh... given the way I ramble in my author's notes)

Random thought: the 'Diva Dance' from the movie "The Fifth Element" is a super cool song. If it's considered a song, since it's just those kind of vocal acrobatics kind of thing. I love the fight scene that occurs with it as the background, and I'd _lurve_ to write a fight scene set to it. Pity I'm not good at describing fights...

Anyway, on to the review replies... OMG!! I actually got more than 100 reviews for this story!!! starts crying and making thank you speeches I never ever expected to hit the magic 100 before... wow. ((stares at the numbers for a long long time)) Thank you all so so SOOOOOOO much for all the support, I really do appreciate it. And for my 100th reviewer, **_Someone Stupid_**, congratulations!!! You get a sugar Elfy!!! Which comes complete with a sugar Ranger and a whole lot of slash. XDXD see below for more of my insane comments. If you're not freaked out already that is. ;D

**_Toby7_**: Thanks thanks. Glad you liked the previous chapter, and here's wishing to Square releasing FF7:AC soon... Sephiroth rawks! ((fangirls over poor little Sephy)) ((Sephy runs to Zack for comfort))

**_Marbienl_**: Ooh... another person with the "patience is a virtue... which I don't have" syndrome. ((bounces madly)) Don't worry, Leggy the body/soul won't die. Not really. ((evil wink)) But... taking over the twins' bodies is a scary thought... Somehow, it reminds me of twincest. Although I think Elrond would be happier if there was one less troublemaker in the house. XD My OFC won't be appearing for another... 5 chapters at least. I can't remember. I kinda lost count. sheepish grin Too busy going gaga over new slash fodder see. And having bandits steal the painting... ((rofl)) I just had this weird scene playing in my head... something like:

Bandit1: Steal the painting!!

Bandit2 ((runs away very quickly)): Yay! We stole the painting!!

Estel ((chases after them)): Give me back the painting!!

Legolas the painting: Argh!! Help help!! They stole the painting!! ((note: can they actually hear him I wonder? And I think "the painting" is being overused here...))

And then, the all-powerful authoress on crack decides to intervene into Estel and Leggy's future love life so...

Bandit1 crashes into Bandit2 in their haste to get away from the Bumbling Ranger™. They drop the painting, Estel picks it up and everyone lives happily ever after in the confusion I have just written here.

That didn't make much sense... did it? SO before things get out of hand, thanks for the review, and hope you like this chapter!

**_Empath89_**: Hee hee... actually, when I reread that part after I got your review, I was thinking "gosh, that is so... soap-operatic" I could hear the music playing in the background too but... hee... anything for the Elfy. Thanks for reviewing, here's the next chapter!

**_Sielge_**: Ta-dah! They meet face to face at last!! Well, actually I wanted to call this chapter face-to-soul/soul-to-face, but it sounded... cheesy... But, hey, they got to meet, and soon they'll get to... ((thinks bad thoughts)) Ahem. Well. They get to meet. XD

**_Tmelange_**: Thank you! Here's the next chapter and hope it was soon enough. ((big big grin)) I'm high on nothing. Just in case you were wondering.

**_Lady Laswen_**: Wow... see, messing up the place in the short span of one week is just more solid proof that there's no point in clearing up at all. Right? ;D I hate clearing out my room. Well, actually, it's more of just _shifting_ the things around so that it looks cleared. Like "out of sight is out of mind". XD Chaos is fun.

**_The_**: Yup yup! They "sort of" met in this chapter and are going to meet for real in a future chapter. bounces Am I confusing? I think I'm, confusing. In fact, _I'm_ confused now. So I shall stop being confusing and remain... confused? O.o

**_Drew'sgirl_**: Oh... another psychic one. Of _course_ something will happen on the way to Mirkwood. Being the evil authoress that I am, how could I resists adding a little angst and torture to the mix? (not like I'm good at writing torture...) And here's another hint. About the "evil force" comment you made? You got that one right, just switch the names around and you'll know what's going to happen. evil wink

**_Silvertoekee_**: Yay! I'm glad at least 1 person felt that his exit from the painting was eerie. I wanted it to be so. You know, kind of like those horror movies where someone walks at to a grimy window, and suddenly there's a crack of lightning and a hand sticks out, slaps onto the window and slides down with that 'screeee' noise? A combination of that and maybe one of the scenes from TTT (I think) where they showed the Uruk-hai being born? They were digging them out of this really disgusting membrane and stuff. XD Oh, and getting him out of the painting is the whole purpose of the story. ((evil giggles)) Such fun. ((thunder and lightning)) (red pill or blue pill? XDXD)

**_Losing grip_**: They met! And they parted. Unfortunately for them. ((sniggers)) but they get to jump each other in the next chapter. Well, not really, cos I can't write graphic slash. But if you read deep enough and twist the words enough, I guess you'll see the warped motive behind everything. Am I even making sense here? ((scratches head and rereads comment)) Nope. Didn't think so.

**_Grumpy_**: Wahahah!! Leggy got stage fright!!! Nah. Little blonde Elfys are shy and need coaxing, especially around dashing Rangers. ((wink wink)) Maybe Estel should try catnip next time?

**_Lady Lestat_**: ((rofl)) Maybe if they called FedEx to deliver the painting all their troubles would be solved? But I'll be making the 'shipping' process really simple... for the sole reason that I can't write extended "Kill the Orcs! Kill the Elves" kind of scenes. As in, it looks good to me in my head, but it looks really cheesy in words. There are 3 types of people I admire in the writing world: those who can write really good fight scenes that leave you on the edge of your seat, those who can write a really hard-core slash-lemon without it coming across as utter smut, and those who can write totally off the wall humour without turning it into something too random. And if _you_ ramble, what do _I_ do? XD

**_RMC_**: Thank you! But I wish my ability to describe objects developed faster... then maybe during all my aural English examinations I could have thought of something intelligent to say about the picture in front of me. Somehow, me the chatterbox was never told to shut up in the exam, while my really quiet partner-in-crime was interrupted halfway through her picture description and told to go onto the next section. Strange...

**_Goldmund_**: Oh wow... I never expected someone to actually review each chapter of my story as they read... A really nice surprise though. Thank you so much for all the nice comments! The whole Danin saga will be cleared up as the story progresses. ((wink)) That's one of the underlying plot thingies...

**_Smiley_**: Well, Estel is blur, so maybe we should forgive him for forgetting a certain Elfy? XD And yup yup they'll be spending quality time together. ((bounces around madly)) lots and LOTS of quality time in fact. Mwahahahahha!!!!!

**_HighqueenTashi_**: Huh? What Leggy go crazy one? Sounds interesting. I wanna read!!! Don't worry, this is going to continue for some time more. And to answer your question... it'll be somewhere along the lines of the power of love thing, mixed with a little bit of luck, magic, blood and angst. Oh, and suspense and fingers itching to kill me for writing/posting slowly. XP I seem to have a death wish? ((whistles innocently))

**_Someone Stupid_**: ((streamers and balloons)) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Oops, wrong greeting, but you get the point. Hope you like sugar Elfy and sugar Ranger. Maybe they have schweetness forevermore. And are you the same person who reviewed back in the first or second chapter? ((bounces up and down))

**_Animegurl14_**: The 101st dalmation! I mean, reviewer. Sorry, couldn't resist. Thanks for the compliment and review... btw, does your name mean that you're really into anime? ((hopeful shimmery eyes)) somehow, I haven't exactly found any writers in this fandom that dabble in the same things as I do... if you didn't understand what I just typed, never mind. I like to ramble. XD

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Thank you!! ((bounces around madly)) Here's more!! ((bounces even more madly)) ((the chair breaks)) ((disappears into a hole in the ground))

And that's all! If I missed anyone out, I'm really sorry, but I've got to go prepare my lessons for tomorrow now. Oh wow, the replies were even longer than the story itself... hehehehe. Till next.. err... next _next_ Tuesday then! ((waves and disappears in a pile of crack fic))


	9. Preparations

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: ((writes Christmas list furiously)) Just you wait. One day, I _will_ own a hot Elf and a bumbling Ranger so I can lock them up in my closet and make them get over their denial. Are you even listening Santa????

Yeah, right. In my dreams.

**Chapter 8: Preparations**

"I don't see how we can travel lightly and inconspicuously when we've to carry something of _that _size and shape with us," Estel complained as he flung himself down on the bed in Elladan's room, where the brainstorming session regarding the transport of the portrait was taking place.

His brother raised an eyebrow. "Since when were you coming with us?"

"Ada didn't say I wasn't to come. Besides, I was the one who found it," the Human pointed out as he rolled over on his back.

"No, that's because we haven't seen Ada the whole day, so he hasn't told you whether or not you're coming with us," Elrohir drawled from the chair beside the bed where he had draped himself, legs hanging over one arm.

"And King Thranduil is very suspicious of strangers," Elladan warned, as he moved about his room and tidied it. "Especially after what happened the last time he allowed a group of strangers travelling with an Elf he knew stay under his roof."

"But that doesn't concern me. I'm only trying to help Legolas, I'd never harm him!"

A knock on the door interrupted the discussion, and Elrond entered the room, followed by Erestor and Glorfindel.

"I've sent word to Thranduil that we've found the portrait of Legolas and that we'll be journeying to Mirkwood within the week. I've also sent messengers in search of Mithrandir, though I suspect that Thranduil will do the same upon hearing the news. Have you come up with a plan to get the painting there without attracting too much attention?"

His sons looked at each other, then spoke simultaneously:

"Drag it behind us with ropes."

"Take it out of the frame and roll it up."

"Just... carry it?"

The three older Elves looked at each other before Elrond sighed and shook his head in exasperation and his advisors burst out laughing.

"I think we should consult Legolas on this _delicate_ matter. And I don't think it'll be an easy task, especially with the kind of ideas you've come up with."

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

The Moon rose to find them gathered once more in Estel's room, waiting for Legolas to emerge from the painting. Elrond had decided to leave it there, believing that it would be less traumatic for the young Elf to stay in more _familiar_ surroundings when he chose to come out.

Before long, the smooth surface of the painting began to move, and the Golden Prince emerged. After introducing him to Erestor and Glorfindel, they sat down to the serious task of discussing how to get him from Rivendell to Mirkwood in one piece.

Legolas listened to Elrohir's suggestion with a look of horror on his face. "You seriously don't mean to say that you actually contemplated _rolling me up_?! How would _you_ feel if someone rolled _you_ up into a bundle and carried _you_ around?!"

Elrohir tried to placate the offended Elf. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you could feel what the portrait goes through. My apologies for being so inconsiderate."

Legolas huffed and pouted slightly. "Of course I can feel what it's going through. I happen to be trapped in it."

"But surely we can at least remove the frame?" Elladan suggested. "I believe that is the bulkiest part of the painting. With that out of the way, I think I would be easier to transport just the canvas on some backing."

Legolas shook his head. "You can't remove the frame either. Danin put some sort of spell on it so that the painting wouldn't get damaged. Who knows, I might just crumble to dust in front of you if you take the frame off."

Elrond gave a sigh. "It appears that we'll just have to take Estel's suggestion and carry it with us, since loading it into a cart would draw even more attention to us."

Estel shot a triumphant grin at his brothers.

"Well, everything looks settled. I suggest that we get some rest. We will spend tomorrow packing our supplies for the trip and leave the day after." Elrond stood up and prepared to exit the room.

"Ada? Who's going this time?" Estel asked hopefully.

Elrond looked hesitantly at the Human, wondering how Thranduil would react to his presence. Then he smiled and turned to Glorfindel. "I suppose you wouldn't mind staying behind to keep Erestor company and make sure he doesn't fret too much?"

The blonde Elf laughed lightly as his dark-haired counterpart scowled. "Of course not. I don't envy you, though, having to travel alone with your twins _and_ Estel. And not to mention, the terror of Mirkwood."

Legolas blushed slightly as he heard the nickname he had been given as an Elfling when he managed to get into all sorts of trouble. Elrond gave a wry smile as he replied, "I'll manage somehow, don't worry. Now, off to bed, all of you."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Estel found himself alone in the room with Legolas, after Elrond had finally managed to evict the twins from his room.

They stared at each other for a moment in uncomfortable silence before Estel coughed.

"Well, I'll be going to sleep now. You can go explore the halls if you like. I don't think Ada would mind."

"I'd rather stay here. If you don't mind, that is."

"Oh, it's fine by me. There're some books on the shelf over there if you're interested."

"Actually, I'd rather just watch."

"Watch what?"

The Elf shrugged in embarrassment. "Watch you sleep. I've never exactly been at such close quarters with a Human before. Your race is quite fascinating, really."

Estel's mouth opened and closed as he tried to think of a suitable answer to this strange request. But all he came up with was a rather gruff reply, "Suit yourself, although I don't really like to have people staring at me."

The Elf coloured as he recalled exactly what he had been doing three nights ago. "I'm really sorry about that."

"It's alright. I suppose you couldn't help it, seeing that you hadn't come out for a few years."

"It was partly that, I suppose, but more so... well, you felt different from the other Humans I've been around, and I was curious."

"Felt different?" Estel was starting to think that perhaps the centuries of living alone in a painting had taken their toll on the Elf's sanity.

"It's hard to explain, really. Your presence just... _isn't_ like theirs, strange as it sounds. There is always this sense of urgency and chaos around them, but yours is more peaceful. I suppose it's because you grew up with Elves."

"Maybe."

There was another long silence as Estel got into bed and Legolas curled up in a chair by the window to watch the Human sleep.

"Do you sleep? In the painting, I mean."

The Elf turned to look the Human, who lay on his side watching him with steely grey eyes.

"Not really. When I'm in it during the daytime, everything is muted, as though I'm wandering in a fog. And when I try to emerge, it feels like I'm swimming through a paste of some sort. I can see and hear everything more clearly, but it's hard to get out. I don't believe I sleep in it; my body does enough of that in Mirkwood. I don't know what it means to be fatigued, I guess. I don't even remember what it is like to sleep in a bed."

Silence.

The Human rolled over to, facing his back to the Elf, and muttered, "There's room for two if you want."

"Pardon?"

"I said, you can share the bed, if you want. I don't think I'll ever get to sleep if you sit there staring at me all night long."

The Elf blinked a few times in surprise at the offer. Finally, he got out of the chair with a strange smile and walked towards the edge of the bed.

Estel felt the bed rock slightly as the Elf lay down near the side of it. It was strangely comforting to feel his presence, even though he could not feel any heat radiating off his body.

'_It's not his real body,'_ he reminded himself. _'Just his soul.'_

Legolas began to hum softly, and Estel felt himself relax, dropping off into a deep sleep. His last conscious thought was that perhaps... he could get used to having this stranger in such close quarters...

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

The slow, even breathing informed the Elf that the Human behind him was asleep. Leaning up on an elbow, he turned and looked down on the slumbering form. He gently brushed away the dark hair that covered the peaceful face and smiled slightly.

This human was different. He felt different and made _him_ feel different.

He got out of the bed carefully, so as not to disturb Estel, and walked around to the other side, bending down in order to look closely at him. It was very much like their first meeting, but this time, Estel did not wake up.

He ran a finger across the slightly parted lips, then hesitantly pressed a soft kiss against them and whispered, "Sleep well, Estel. Dream sweet dreams of the future."

Legolas turned and walked back to the painting, pressing his hand against the cold canvas and melting back into his prison.

'_You are my only hope.'_

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Hee... confession. I almost forgot that I was due to post today. ((sheepish grin)) But! THEY FINALLY HAVE SLASHY INTERACTION!!! ((bounces off the ceiling))

Ok. So it wasn't explicitly slash, nor was it 2-sided. Yet. ; D but I think it was kinda cheesy though... ((scrutinises fic)) Don't really like that part of this chapter, but oh well, it'll get better. Nyuk nyuk nyuk. And... ooooh... was that a hint of Glorfindel x Erestor up there? XD

And to those who actually remembered me complaining in one of the first few chapters about having a hard time writing "real" slash, this chapter was the one I was having problems with. I mean, it's just... weird somehow. Argh... let me go bang my head on the wall. But I think this was one of the most awkward (in terms of slash) chapters. The rest went fine and are going fine.

Next chapter (my favourite actually) will be the twins getting high, and miscellaneous crap that my brain threw up at... 2 am maybe? I can't remember. But I know that most of this fic was written past midnight. Oh, and I've _finally_ started writing this again. Tsk tsk tsk. I got inspired one boring day in school and decided to start writing in the middle of the staff room. Just hope I can finish it fast and soon, 'cos the exams are coming up in a fortnight and I'm down for script marking. Bleh. I wanna go back to studying... not teaching... even if the pay as a temporary teacher _is_ good compared to a desk job...

Review replies time! The number of reviews I've received so far is... amazing. I still can't believe the numbers. ((stares at computer screen in shock)) Huh? What? Oh. Replies. Right. (brace thyself for utter crack and crap from the queen of sugar overdoses and hyperness, all ye normal mortals... mwahahahhahaa)

**_Azla_**: They'll be in Mirkwood chapter after the next. Which makes it in 2 chapters time. Uh, wait, let me go count again... ((sneaks off to take a peak at current chapter count)) Yup, 2 chapters time. Which would translate to about a month from now if I post every fortnight.

**_Sielge_**: Thanks! They got to meet!!! But... they didn't do anything else. Shucks. ; P I am evil. And I think I might have scarred them mentally for the rest of their happy life together. XD

**_Empath89_**: Hee hee... Thank you! Me is one happy writer on crack now. ((bounces))

**_RMC_**: Um... Correction... I'm actually setting the exam papers, not taking them. I'm pretending to be a teacher while waiting to enter university. XD This story won't have much slash in it... it'll be about the level of that ((points up at the kiss)) maybe a bit more descriptive, but they do not end up sleeping with each other. Or if they do it's not written in. XD Can't write lemons. Reading them is fine... but writing them... haven't reached that stage of warped fangirl nirvana. Oh, and welcome to the slash lover's club. ((waves banners)) It gets addictive after a while. ((wink wink))

**_Marbienl_**: Wahahaha!!! You know, your comment on wrapping the soul body in cloths to block the sun made me think of mummified Legolas. XD And I think the minute he gets out of the painting, he'd probably want to grab hold of a knife and shred the canvas. Or if he doesn't, I bet Thranduil will. Over-protective father. XD Yep, I think the arrows would feel real enough if they hit someone... but I never thought that deeply into what would happen to the wounds. ((sheepish grin)) And... ((slaps forehead)) why didn't I think of the eagles?! But then again, Estel wouldn't have as much of a chance to jump Legolas on a giant chicken, right? ((evil laughter)) Thanks for the review! Appreciate all the thinking I'm forced to do because of you... XP

**_Tmelange_**: Thank you! I'm writing/prodding myself to write as fast as possible. ((angelic grin)) ((horns and tail appear for a moment)) ((stuffs them back behind the halo and wings))

**_Lady Laswen_**: Ouch... poor brother of yours... hope his hand gets better soon. Hmm... never heard of Bagenders before... Somehow it sounds like hobbits having an orgy in Bagend. O.o ((smacks self hard)) Must. Get. The. Mind. Out. Of. The. Gutter. Gahhhhh... Oh, and I finally managed to see how the alarm clock thingy from Ikea you were talking about looks like... and... it looks like a piece of cheddar cheese. XD Talking cheddar cheese? ((raises eyebrow)) I have food on the brain.

**_The_**: Sniffle... I get sidetracked easily. But I swear that I will give Leggy and Estel all the slash they want (which I can write without blushing) in this fic before moving on to other things. ((determined look)) And ta-da! They met! And they kissed. Sort of. Bad Leggy stealing Estel's first kiss? ((waggles eyebrows)) Now to be a good author and get more slash out...

**_Smiley_**: Err.. heh heh... 'next next Tuesday' is just bad English/loose translation of another local language. That's what we say over here 'cos it's faster and less tongue-tying than 'Tuesday after next'. And methinks that this story will be pretty fluffy too, in terms of the relationship. Oh wow. For once I'm not breaking them up for the sake of canon. This is a good excuse for Leggy to jump Estel _now_. XD

**_Losing Grip_**: Thanks! Here's the next chapter and I'm trying my very very best to update faster! Really! ((crickets start chirping)) ((nose grows longer)) Ok. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough, but I _am_ trying! D

**_Someone Stupid_**: Erm... Curtains???? ((confused)) Wahahhaha... eating curtains in your sleep sounds very... fun. XD Tastes of sunshine, dust, and loads of fibres. XD Fortified with vitamins and – ((plot bunnies attack rambling author)) Ahem. Yup, there's an OFC but no romance. Just... atonement. ((evil wink)) She's a push factor and disappears after 3 chapters. I can't remember off-hand. Kind of like those supporting actress roles? I scrapped the previous version of my story because she got too... err... 'pushy'. So I hope she'll be well received by my readers. ((crosses fingers)) Considering all the problems she's caused me...

**_Nienna Coamenel_**: Hee hee hee... YES!! Another person who got creeped by the creep factor!!! ((dances madly around the computer)) Ahem. I think I creeped myself out while writing that part too, cos it was written really late at night, and I was all alone downstairs... and... ((creepy music)) ARGH! I'm freaking myself out again! ((hides under covers)) Glad you like the story!

**_ElvenRanger13_**: Thank you! You've just given me an ego boost. ((big big big happy grin)) Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and there's much more coming!

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: ((salutes)) New chapter!! Oh wait, that wasn't as fast as possible was it? ((sheepish grin)) ah well, better late (or on time) than never? And since when did I remember so many proverbs? Anyway, enjoy the slash, next chapter will be utter crack. XD

**_Black Mirror_**: Hai hai I get the picture. Ooh... pun. Leggy is a picture too... heheheh... Here's more, cos you asked nicely. XD Kidding. I'm kinda high now so bear with my rambling...

**_Goldmund_**: Haha, no worries, Leggy's going home soon. Next chapter in fact. So he can have a tearful reunion with his daddy dear and inform him that he's going to marry a Human and won't be able to leave him any heirs. XDXD Ok. I think I'm being too evil to the Elfy... ((pats Leggy and shoves him into Estel's arms. Bed. Whatever.))

**_Tonianne_**: Thanks for the compliment and the review, here's the next chapter, enjoy! ((bounces))


	10. Journey

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: I own them. Seriously. Just check the name on written on the back of Legolas' and Estel's shirts. It's my name. MINE.

What? A deluded fangirl's gotta have her delusions... right? ((whistles))

Warning: Extreme hyperness up ahead. Please switch all brains to non-thinking mode. Thank you.

**Chapter 9: Journey**

"Elrohir, did you - "

"Yes, Ada, I've already packed the supplies for the trip."

"Elladan, are the - "

"Yes, Ada, I've the herbs you requested for."

"Try to relax, Ada," Elrohir added helpfully. "We're not going to war, it's just a visit to Mirkwood."

Elrond glared at his sons and rubbed his temples. "Yes, but if I'm travelling with both of you _and_ Estel, it's best to be prepared. For war."

Erestor snorted. "If I were in your shoes, I'd rather face a Balrog..."

Glorfindel cleared his throat loudly.

"Then again, maybe I'd rather just... stay at home in Rivendell."

"Thank you, Erestor," Elrond commented dryly. "I'm touched by your faith in me."

Elladan looked around, checking that everything they needed had been packed. There was something missing, he just couldn't put his finger on it...

"Has anyone seen Estel?"

**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**

The Human found himself being dragged from a particularly good dream he was having by an earthquake.

'_But earthquakes don't occur in Rivendell, do they?'_ he thought drowsily.

"Wake up, Estel!"

"Eh, 'Ro, if you shake him any harder you might break his neck."

"Not my fault. Wake up, you sorry excuse for a Ranger!"

'_Earthquakes can talk?'_

"This is not working, 'Dan. Maybe we should set Tyan on him. Not that it would work."

"Of all days to oversleep, he just _has_ to choose today!"

"I wonder how come he hasn't been digested by the wargs yet, given the fact that he sleeps like a log."

"A _dead_ log would make more sense."

"But, the log _is_ dead to begin with, that's why it's a log, not a tree."

"No, a _dead_ log is... wait, why are we arguing about a piece of wood?"

"It was your idea, and the silly child refuses to wake up!"

Elladan growled in frustration. The battle between the Valar and Morgoth(1) could have taken place in this very room and the Human would have slept blissfully on.

"That does it! We're leaving without you, Estel!"

'_Leaving? That sounds familiar... We're leaving for Mirkwood tomorrow, aren't we? Oh, wait, it **is** tomorrow, which means that I...'_

The Human's eyes shot open as he scrambled out of his bed, bowling over his brothers who had been hovering over him and trying to wake him up.

"I'm late! By the Valar! Ada's going to kill me!"

The twins looked at each other, then at the whirlwind in the room attempting to dress, tie his boots on and clean his teeth at the same time.

Elrohir sighed, "This is going to be a long journey."

**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**

"And what is your reason this time, Estel?"

"It's not my fault!"

"Try telling that to Ada. He's been fretting enough to rival Erestor, and thanks to your tardiness, he'll probably start all over again when we reach the hall."

"I swear it's not my fault! That blasted Legolas kept me up all night!"

"Doing what, I wonder."

"I didn't! He didn't... We were just - "

"Wait, where's the portrait?"

There was a lull in the argument, then two voices commented simultaneously as a yelp was heard together with fading footsteps:

"He left it behind with his brain."

**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**

Elrond tapped his foot in a rare show of impatience as he waited for his sons to show up. He opened his mouth to say something but was immediately cut off by Glorfindel.

"No, I don't see the need to send a search party after them. If the twins can't rouse Estel, no one can."

Elrond scowled at his blonde advisor. "Time is running out here and you can still joke about it?"

"Now who's fretting..." Erestor muttered.

"I heard that!"

The sound of the twins' voices floated down the corridor to the main hall, reassuring the Elf Lord that they had been successful in retrieving their Human brother.

"You know, you could always ask us to help you with your pack, Estel."

"I agree; you don't look like you can manage to carry both it and the painting. You might drop one. Or both."

"Since when were the both of you so nice to me?"

"It comes with a price, doesn't it, 'Ro?"

"Of course it does, and – Sweet Eru, don't drop the - "

_**CRASH!!!**_

"Painting."

"Oooh, Legolas is going to get you for this, Estel."

"Thank you for pointing that out, 'Ro."

"You're welcome."

**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**

It was about an hour after their planned departure time that the party finally set out from Rivendell. Elrond was busy worrying about whether they had left anything behind. The twins were busy trying to figure out a more convenient way to carry the portrait, which was too large to be simply strapped onto the horse and had to be carried by hand. Last, but not least, Estel was busy nodding over his horse's neck.

"Exactly what did you mean when you said that Legolas kept you up all night, Estel?" Elrohir asked.

Estel opened his eyes blearily. "You talking to me?"

Elladan rolled his eyes. "No. It appears that you have an invisible twin who shares the same name and horse as you. Yes, we're talking to you."

Estel yawned widely. "He popped out of the painting at about midnight, just after I went to sleep. And he did his staring thing again, which woke me up. After that, I told him to go do some exploring or something and to leave me alone. Stupid Elf refuses, says he wants to stay in my room and explore my things. So, he goes through all my things, finds some book I never knew I had in my table, then sits down and asks me questions about every other page, regardless of the fact that I'm trying to sleep. Next thing I know, I'm explaining the history of Arda to him until he disappears."

The twins burst out laughing. Even Elrond was chuckling as he heard his foster son's complaints.

"I don't get it. What's so funny?"

"Estel, you never paid any attention during _all_ of Erestor's history lessons. I wouldn't be surprised if you gave him all the wrong facts."

"No, I didn't. Elendil's the Elf in the sky, isn't he?"

The twins came close to dropping the portrait as they laughed until tears ran down their cheeks. Elrond found himself coming down with a headache.

"My dear boy, the 'Elf in the sky' was _Eärendil_, not Elendil. Elendil was the Human from the Last Alliance with Gil-Galad." (2)

"Oh."

'_Valar_,' Elrond thought to himself, '_I wonder what happened during his 20 years worth of history lessons under Erestor..._'

**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**

They stopped for the day as the sun sank below the horizon. The twins leaned the painting carefully against the thick trunk of a nearby tree as Elrond and Estel busied them selves with setting up the camp and the evening meal.

Later, they sat around the crackling flames in contemplative silence, feeling the darkness of the forest draw in around them.

"Ada?"

"Yes, Estel?"

"What if... they can't save him? What will happen then?"

Elrond sighed as he furrowed his brows and stared at into the fire. So many questions and doubts he dared not voice...

"Mithrandir will know."

Estel turned and stared in surprise at his elder brother. Elladan had a look of fierce determination on his face.

"Mithrandir will know." Elladan repeated. "He's one of the Istari, he _has_ to know."

"But..."

"Do not despair, little brother," Elrohir chided him gently. "There's always hope... you should know, it is your name after all."

Estel gave a small smile. "I'm sorry."

Elrond shook his head slightly. "There's no need to apologise, Estel. This is... a tricky matter. Is it not known whether Mithrandir will be able to help in this matter, although all of us are hoping that he can. Rest now, I will take the first watch."

The Elf Lord gazed fondly at his sons as they settled down to sleep about the small fire. His eyes lingered over the slumbering form of his Human son.

_Don't give up, Estel... He needs you, even though you don't realize it yet._

**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**

Estel frowned slightly in his sleep as his dream overtook him.

'_Help me...'_

_He was running in the darkness... it was so black, he could feel it pressing in on him, driving the air out of his lungs as he gasped and ran._

_Where was he running to? He couldn't see anything..._

_Feel anything..._

_Hear anything..._

_Just, black._

'_Help me.'_

_That voice again... _

_It was...clear, yet so faint. It resounded inside his head..._

_Round and round and round._

'_Help me.'_

"_Who are you?!" He shouted into the darkness, the sound of his voice swallowed up quickly by the blackness. "Where are you?!"_

'_Help me, please, Estel...'_

"_Where are you? I can't help you if I don't know where you are!" He spun around, trying to look past the inky black he was in, searching for something, anything..._

_A light in the distance... nothing much, just a pinprick of it..._

_The voice, was it coming from there?_

'_Help me... hurry..."_

_Estel started to run again, this time towards the light. The voice, it was fading. Somehow, he knew that there was not much time left._

_He couldn't lose him._

_Him?_

_Who was this 'him'?_

'_Hel...'_

"_No! Don't go!" Estel held out a hand in desperation, pleading with the unknown as he made a last lunge at the light..._

_It exploded around him, the glare pounding at his head as everything turned into a blinding white, then suddenly, it was all black again._

"_**Too late."**_

Estel gasped and shot upright in his bedroll, his heart hammering in his chest. He shivered slightly, the sweat on his tunic drying quickly in the cool night air.

"Estel? What's wrong?" Elrond said softly as he observed his son from the other side of the fire.

Estel shook his head and forced a shaky grin. "Nothing. Just a dream."

"A dream?" Elrond raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. A dream." Estel hurriedly changed the topic before his father could probe the matter. "Why didn't you wake any of us for the watch?"

Elrond sighed and leaned back against the tree. "The three of you need more rest... I foresee it will be some time before you will be able to sleep in a proper bed again. Besides, I needed to think, so I decided not to wake any of you."

Estel pondered his father's words, then gave up trying to understand what the Elf meant. "But you shouldn't have sat up while all of us slept. Get some rest Ada, I'll watch now."

Elrond smiled, knowing that his stubborn son would not let the matter rest so easily. "Very well, Estel. Do wake any of us if you get tired."

Estel nodded and watched his father settle down to sleep, before he let his mind wander back to the dream that had woken him up.

"I wonder... what it means..." he mused to himself.

A soft thud, followed shortly by a light tap on his shoulder, snapped him out of his reverie. He leapt to his feet with his sword drawn, cursing inwardly at his lapse in attention –

- To find a rather disheveled blonde Elf glaring daggers at him as he rubbed his head vigorously.

Estel stared at the Elf in shock for a few moments, then lowered his sword with a sigh of relief. "Legolas, don't do that again, I swear that my heart almost stopped beating when you - "

He stopped, and took in the appearance of the Elf standing before him. "What happened to you?" he asked tentatively.

Legolas ignored him and sat down before the campfire, muttering to himself about "stupid Humans".

"I'm sorry? You were saying?"

The blonde Elf glared darkly at him. "I said, trust the stupid Human to carry the painting. You dropped me!"

"It was an accident!"

"On my head!"

"Oh, is that why you've got the huge bump there?" Estel fixed his gaze on the bruise adorning the Prince's forehead and tried his best not to laugh.

"And then, when you set up camp, what do you do? You leave me leaning against the tree _upside down_!"

"That wasn't me! It was the twins!"

Legolas paused in his ranting and digested that piece of information. "That's besides the point. Either way, it's your fault!"

"Well," Estel shot back at him, "_I_ wasn't the one who was asking stupid questions about Arda the whole of last night! Morning rather."

They sat in silence, Legolas sulking and Estel fuming.

"I guess, that makes us even then?" Legolas finally broke the silence.

Estel shrugged. "You could say that." He gave a sideways look at the blonde Elf sitting next to him, still rubbing his bruise, and grinned devilishly.

"So, how did you manage to get out when you were upside down anyway?"

**X.x.X.x.X.x.X**

**TBC**

(1): This refers to the battle that reshaped Middle Earth. Just in case anyone was wondering. And I'm pretending that Estel's as sound a sleeper as I am. I once fell off the top bunk of a double-decker bed and didn't wake up till I hit my head on the bedpost of another bed at the _other_ end of the room.

(2): This was just for fun, I doubt that Estel would actually mix up his ancestors... but, hey, the names sound similar enough to be poked at. No offence to _Elendil_ and _Eärendil_. XD

Author's notes:

Update!!! ((Streamers and balloons)) I think this is my favourite chapter of the whole story... I loved writing all the crap. XD I think I was high and it was very late at night/early in the morning when I wrote that. Err... never mind. But if anyone's wondering what kind of writer I was before I lost all my literary crapping abilities to angst-ridden stories, take all the crap and crack from up there, multiply it by an overactive and warped imagination, and then multiply it again by the amount of sugar consumed. ((wink))

I finally managed to sort out about 3 of the later chapters that have been causing me quite a headache... and the good news is... ((drum roll)) I have 1 – 2 more chapters to finishing this story!!! In fact, if I manage to finish it by the 23rd of October (not very likely though) this project will be exactly 6 months old. XD So I'm crossing my fingers that I'll finish it by then, or at least in time for my birthday... birthday present to myself, how narcissistic can I get...

I actually planned on posting this day before yesterday, but my wonderfully intelligent computer decided to pseudo-crash on me. Yup. Pseudo-crash. Don't ask. One minute it's fine, then the CPU starts _clicking_ into my ear, the screen blanks out, I freak and start panicking over all my un-backed-up data, I haul out my laptop, and the crazy thing starts working fine again 15 minutes later. Sigh... I think it's got a life of its own. Sob sob.

And then yesterday, I tried to post it, and the almighty ff . net decides to go nuts on me adn refused to let me log in. ((sighs)) Tis a conspiracy I swear... But please don't kill me for the late update ok? ((puppy dog eyes))

Ok, then, thanks for reading, review replies are at the bottom, remember to review to inflate my ego!! Mwahahahaha!!! Ahem. I'll be busy for the next few days marking exam scripts, so looking forward to nice reviews to repair my poor poor brain from the type of stupid answers I get... ((puts on hyper review replies cap))

**_Empath89_**: Hehehe.... I think I'm hyper so often, that the day I'm _not_ hyper, my friends will be waiting for the sky to fall, strike lottery, look for flying pigs etc. ((sheepish grin)) That's how bad it is. But being hyper is good for keeping awake during boring physics lectures by lecturers who drone to the computer screen. XD

**_Lady Lenna_**: I just realised that the line "you are my only hope" is from a Mandy Moore song... from... what's that movie called... "A Walk To Remember"? Didn't watch it, but it's a nice song. But I guess it can be interpreted in more ways than one... just depends how deeply you read into it, although main focus is that Estel is the only one who can save Leggy. And I really wonder how Elrond managed to retain his hair over all the centuries he had to put up with hyper twins... He'd be a good advertisement for those "no more hair loss" tonics. XDXD

**_Dawn_**: Thank you!! ((bounces)) No sweat, when I'm finally finished writing, I'll probably update every 3-4 days... Cos I need time to do review replies, unless I get lazy... Hope you like this chapter!

**_Nessa Saralonde_**: Yup, they're going to be partners, but it's not in an overly graphic way. just kissing and "fill in the blanks/go imagine it yourself" moments. Hope that answered your question. : D

**_RMC_**: It's... pretty fun teaching. When the kids decide to behave in a less psychotic fashion that is. But I'd really really really rather go back to being the student... then all I have to worry about is passing my exams, not passing my students in case their parents come after my head. And... what did you do to your teacher to scare him that bad??? Tell tell!! I had a very boring school life, the most daring thing I did was to go into a laughing fit in the middle of a totally silent math class. Yep, I was a goody two shoes... ((halo propped on 2 horns, forked tail peeking from behind fluffy white wings))

**_Nienna Coamenel_**: Yup yup! The slashiness hath begun. XDXD And the action is coming up pretty soon. Some in the next chapter, but the major part will be towards the end... the nice big anti-climatic end. Mwahahahahah. Excuse me while I go bang my head on the wall to sober up.

**_Someone Stupid_**: Thanks for making me feel better about the previous chapter! I really hated it cos of the awkwardness, but I really couldn't think of a better way to put it. Me ith a happy writer now. XDXD Leggy and Estel sitting in a tree... K-I-S-S-I-N-G... First comes love, then comes marriage, then come Leggy with a baby carriage!! (if you believe in MPREG that is. XD) Hm... maybe that's why Elves like trees so much... plenty of foliage and trunk to hide whatever's going on above, below and around... XDXD ((smacks self)) Bad, bad me. Must stop being so warped.

**_Losing Grip_**: So sad... it was a one-sided kiss... but soon it'll be TWO-sided!!! XD ((bounces around excitedly)) Glad you liked it, and presenting... the next chapter!! ((bounces even more))

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: ((peeks round corner)) ((gets hit on the head by Opportunity)) Owie... new definition of when opportunity strikes? XP Anyway, I'll only post every fortnight until I complete this, then I'll make it maybe 3-4 times a week. So just bear with my wonderful sense of timing for a leetle while more, okie? And thanks for petting my ego!! ((ego grins and waves))

**_Goldmund_**: Well, Estel makes Leggy feel different cos the first time he was exposed to 'love', it was Danin sucking his soul out by force to keep Leggy by his side. But now, Leggy kinda feels attracted to Estel, although he doesn't know why, and hasn't figured out that he's actually in love with Estel, cos he's scared of falling in love, since he thinks that Danin's method of making him love him is the only correct one. ((takes deep breath)) Wow, that really sounds like me talking. Heh heh heh... hope you managed to get what I was saying, if not never mind, I'll probably be explaining the whole thing maybe at the end of the story... I'm currently thinking of writing one chapter to explain the whole idea and various unmentioned things of this story.

**_Grumpy_**: Ooh yeah, they're going to have fun. Lots of fun. ((winks and points up)) That's part one of the fun, part two coming up in 2 weeks, so stay tuned for the next episode of "The Amazing Race". Err, I mean, getting paintings over mountains and forests in one piece...

**_Marbienl_**: ((flying glomps)) Ahem. Sugar high. XD Hmm, I'd think that Legolas the soul has a sense of touch, so he can feel warmth and stuff. He didn't go back to the other side cos he knew it wasn't going to be useful, and maybe he needed to think over his feelings in a place of solitude. Or maybe he was getting muddled up by being too close to the object of his affections, I mean, his new friend. XDXD About the arrows, I guess if he shot the full quiver out, the arrows would stay stuck in whatever they hit, and then reappear when the sun rises in his quiver... so he doesn't need to worry about making new ones. XD Regenerating arrows!!! I had to make this fic slash cos of my ending actually... but I suppose if I wanted, I could rewrite it with them as merely best friends and tweak the ending. The only reason I didn't do it was cos for the non-slash ending, my OFC would have become a love interest and turned into a dreaded Mary-Sue. ((shudders)) Lastly, thanks for the brain stimulation... I can feel the waves of Estel and Leggy Luuurve™ radiating through my overactive imagination.... ((rofl)) Ahem. Thanks for the review!

**_Smiley_**: Hehehe... Estel will _definitely_ reciprocate the kiss... and coughmuchmorecough. Hope you like this chapter!! XD

**_High-Queen-Tashi_**: ((bounces)) ((waves)) ((forces Leggy and Estel to wave and bounce too)) Welcome back from your holiday!! Leggy, Estel and me missed you!! Cos they had one less person to publicise their relationship to, and I had one less person suffering from my hyper review replies. XDXD Don't worry, I'm not letting the painting get hurt or kidnapped... cos that'll mean writing an extended fight scene to get it back, and fight scenes are not very good friends with me yet. I went to read the fic you were telling me about, but I gave up halfway through cos my brain was on slash overdrive that day, not fluffy humour. ((sheepish grin)) I'll go finish it some other day when I'm in the mood for humour. ((peace sign))

Okie then, that's all the replies for this chapter. May I survive all the stupid answers I get and see you guys again in 2 weeks! ((waves and disappears in a pile of exam scripts))


	11. Mirkwood I

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: My birthday's this weekend... Maybe if I wished hard enough I'll wake up with a real Elfy under my bed? ((hopeful look))

Then again, I've no wish to be set upon by rabid fangirls, which makes _lots_ of sense considering I'm one myself. And I think I should stop rambling and start the chapter.

**Chapter 10: Mirkwood I**

The journey to Mirkwood was uneventful, thankfully for Elrond. Like Estel, he had no idea what they would do if Orcs had ambushed them along the way. They could have run, but he didn't think they'd get very far if they had to carry to painting at such an odd angle on horseback.

The watches in the dead of the night had fallen to Estel during their journey. The Human had been very enthusiastic in volunteering himself, for reasons unfathomable to the twins. Elrond, however, had a slight inkling as to his willingness to sacrifice his sleep.

He had woken up once to find the blonde Elf with his Human son, humming softly. Estel had fallen asleep with his head leaning against the Elf's shoulder, and Legolas had carefully drawn a blanket around him to keep him warm. The Elf was sitting with his back to a tree, and his hand gripped his weapons lightly while his eyes roved the woods outside the confines of their fire.

'**_Their bond is strengthening, that is good. They will need it before the end comes.'_** A gentle voice whispered softly into his mind as they rode towards the forests of Mirkwood.

'_You saw something in your mirror, my Lady?'_ Elrond asked.

'_**Snatches of the future, nothing definite. But it is clear that their fates are entwined in more ways than one. If either falls...'**_

'_They will not fall.'_ Elrond said, his mental voice coming across harder than he intended.

'**_Peace, young one. I have faith in them. Just remember. It is always darkest before dawn.'_ **

"Ada? We've reached the borders of Mirkwood."

Elrond blinked, coming out of the slight stupor he had been in. Galadriel's presence faded from his mind and he became aware of the menacing trees looming up before him.

He nodded to his sons. "Alright, we're almost there. Hopefully we will meet up with some of the scouts before we encounter any spiders.

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

Estel fidgeted on his horse. The stillness was oppressing, and that half-light... it was really getting on his nerves.

The twins were silent, which was rare. He noticed that their hands strayed constantly to their weapons at their sides, even as Elrohir's grip on the cloth-covered canvas tightened slightly.

There was no sign of any life near them, even the sounds of the horses' hooves on the leaf litter was muted. A faint trickling could be heard, but a quiet comment from Elrond confirmed that it was the enchanted stream flowing through the forest.

There was a sudden change in the air around them. An evil aura surrounded them, gradually building up until the horses were snorting in anxiety and shying away from the trees that lined the narrow path.

"'Dan?"

The elder twin frowned at him as he drew his sword in a fluid motion, his actions mirrored by Elrohir.

"Spiders," Elrond breathed as his worst fears were realized.

"We must run, Ada. We cannot afford to waste time here." Elladan urged.

"But the spiders know the paths better than us. We will not make it." Estel objected as he drew his sword as well. By now, he could smell the stench of the spiders as they drew a ring about their prey, waiting for the moment to pounce on them.

Elrohir shoved the painting into the Human's hands. "Take it. Take it and go. You and Ada. Now."

Estel opened his mouth to protest, but Elladan silenced him with a gesture. "He is right. You cannot afford to linger. The circle is closing, you must move before we are completely surrounded."

Elrond glanced at the twins, his heart aching at the thought of leaving them to fend off the deadly Mirkwood spiders all by themselves while he fled for safety with his youngest son. "We will alert the Mirkwood patrols as soon as we encounter them. May the Valar protect you."

He nudged his horse with his knees and whispered a command into its alert ears. Immediately, it sprang away from the group, followed closely by Estel's horse. As the Human clung on to the reins with one hand and the portrait with the other, he heard the furious screeches of the spiders as they realised their prey were getting away. He looked behind him and saw dark shapes scurrying through the trees, heading towards them.

"Ada! They're chasing us!"

Elrond said nothing, only urged his horse to go faster, faster...

A shriek exploded from behind them. Elrond whirled around on his horse, watching in horror as a spider leapt off the tree, aiming for his son...

A volley of arrows slammed into the spider, making it fall short of its target by a few feet. Elrond whipped his gaze back to what lay before them, only to find a unit of Mirkwood soldiers hastening towards them, some on horses, others running lightly on the branches of the trees above them.

The commander shouted as he galloped up to the Elf Lord, "Lord Elrond! Hurry! Get back to the palace!" Turning to look over his shoulder, he barked out a command. "The five of you, get them back as quickly as possible. The rest of you, come with me!"

The Elves swept by the stunned Elf Lord and his equally surprised son, leaving a trail of dying spiders in their wake. One of those left to escort them tugged urgently at the horses' bridle. "Come, my Lords, they will take care of the spiders."

"My sons, they are - "

"Fear not, my Lord. They will be safe. We must hurry."

Elrond glanced at Estel before following the Elves' lead deeper into the forest towards the realm of Thranduil. He could only pray that his sons were holding their own against the spiders.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

An imposing Elf was striding back and forth in the courtyard as Elrond, Estel and the guards clattered in. Before Elrond could dismount, the Elf was beside him, asking with feverish excitement, "Well? Where is he?"

Elrond tried to calm the almost frantic Elf. "Patience, my friend. Perhaps we should take this inside..."

"Yes, yes, of course." The Elven King composed himself slightly as he waved the guards away, then took hold of Elrond's elbow and practically dragged him into the palace, leaving Estel standing by himself, still holding onto the portrait and wondering whether he should laugh. Shaking his head, the Human followed the two Elves in.

He could hear the King chattering away as he wove his way down the numerous halls. The palace was even more of a maze than Rivendell.

"Elrond, you cannot imagine how happy I was when I received the message that you had found Legolas! I've already sent riders out in search of Mithrandir; if all goes well he should be here shortly. By the way, where are your sons?"

Estel scowled slightly as his presence was overlooked by the King, who was remarkably similar in looks as the blonde Elf who had turned his world upside down. Speaking of which...

He quickly lifted a corner of the cloth covering the portrait and peeked under it to make sure he wasn't carrying it upside down. He had no wish to be set upon again by the irate Prince, much as he enjoyed teasing him.

"Elladan and Elrohir were fighting off the spiders when I last saw them. We were forced to flee, as we had no hope of defeating the spiders. Thankfully we ran into your soldiers not long after."

"We?"

"Ah, yes, you haven't met." Elrond waved to the Human to step forward. "This is my son, Estel."

The Human came forward and bowed deeply. "It is an honour, Your Majesty."

Thranduil scrutinized Estel and commented, "He's a _Human_."

Estel bristled. Elrond shot him a warning look that made him remember what Elladan had said about the Woodland King not liking strangers.

"Thranduil, I pray that you will forget your grievances against strangers and heed my counsel," Elrond urged. "Estel may be a Human, but he is not like some of his kindred. He will never wish harm upon an Elf, much less your son. Besides, now is not the time for these ancient grudges to cloud your judgment."

Thranduil stared long and hard at the Human, his disdain apparent in his eyes, yet with a tinge of indecision. The last time he had allowed strangers to stay with him, he had lost his son. And now, the situation had a feeling of déjà vu to it.

Elrond pulled the King closer to him and whispered softly into his ear, such that Estel could not hear him, "Remember what the Seers said."

Thranduil sighed and said grudgingly, "Welcome to Mirkwood, young one. You've the honour of being the first Human allowed to dwell in my house for the past millennium. See that your father's trust in you is not misplaced."

He turned away and led them down the corridors in silence until they reached a door that led to one of the living quarters of the royal family, apparent from the more ornate carvings on the dark wood, coupled with the royal crest. Elrond followed behind with Estel, taking the opportunity to caution his son.

"Do not take his harshness to heart; he is merely worried about his son. And do not say or do anything that may cause him to doubt you. The situation may turn more complicated if that happens."

"I'll try, Ada."

Thranduil opened the door and gestured for them to enter.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Whee!!! Another chapter done and up!!! And yep, my birthday's this weekend, so maybe I'll post another chapter to celebrate. XDXD Sigh... the last year of my teens.... I HAVEN'T PLAYED ENOUGH!!! I WANT TO GO BACK TO BEING A 5 YEAR OLD KID!!!!! But then again, if I was a 5 year old kid, I wouldn't be warped enough to write this.... ((confused by own logic)) To grow up or not to grow up, that is the question. But it's not like I actually grew up anyway. XD

This is the first of my dreaded 'action' chapters. I suck at writing action. It plays out fine in my head, but when it comes to expressing in words, that's when it gets stilted and... stuff. Sigh. I experimented with the spiders first, since they're much easier to write than Orcs... just a mass of things jumping out at you trying to suck your blood instead of a mass of things jumping out at you screaming for your blood... err... then again, maybe they _are_ rather similar.... O.o Anyway, I think Thranduil's a little OOC.... Ok. VERY OOC. He'll be like this for most of the story... high-strung, worrywart etc. Oh, and notice that this chapter is called 'Mirkwood I'? it actually doesn't mean anything... except that I ran out for intelligent chapter titles so. ((sheepish grin)) For the observant ones, I'm trying to use 1-word titles for the whole story, and most of the titles sound cheesy, hence the use of "I" and (hopefully not) "II" etc.

Next chapter: Estel meets the _real_ Legolas, erm... various fillers before the _actual_ story starts. Hee... believe it or not, the main point of this story hasn't arrived yet, and I'm almost halfway through the story. ((whistles)) And I used to wonder why I never had enough space to write my answers in the exams.... Tsk tsk.

Thanks for reading, remember to leave a review to tell me what you think! And most importantly to (coughinflatemyegocough) help me write better. Insane replies are at the bottom, so beware of sugar overload. XD

**_Someone Stupid_**: No no no... commas are good... and fun... you should use them more often. XD It helps ensure that the use of commas will never be forgotten as our grammar goes down the drain. XD And warpedness is fun!!! I'd make them snog and ahem ahem at every given moment... but think of the mental and emotional trauma it would cause Elrond and the twins. XDXD plus, I doubt Estel would have the stamina to match Leggy's and - Ok. I think I ought to go whack my head a few times against the wall now. I was sweet and innocent once. A long, long time ago... sniffle.

**_Marbienl_**: I'd love to get high on caffeine too... except that it doesn't agree with my tummy. ((cries)) Hopefully I'll never forget my keys, the thought of standing out in the rain is very... dampening. XD I think there was corn in my lunch, so now XD Positions Leggy was in... man, I'm thinking warped now... not good... well, for him to get out, he'd have to either come out feet first, or attempt to orientate himself properly in a ... 2-dimensional plane... Argh. Let's just say that he had to figure a way to get his feet out of a very sticky substance that gave him enough problems when he used his hands. He'd probably been trying for.... Hmm... 2 hours? Cos he only comes out really late at night, and Estel probably woke up in the wee hours of the morning, so Leggy wasn't doing headstands for _that_ long. ((wink))

_**Sielge**_: Hee.. glad you liked the chapter... oh, and I meant that I had to _write_ 2 more chapters to finish the whole story, but in terms of posting, there's definitely going to be at least 8-10 more. So it's not ending that soon. XD

**_Empath89_**: Thank you! But this won't have much slash... unfortunately. Hopefully I can tweak the ending to be more slashy... must cater to the needs of the inner warped fangirl. ((wink wink))

**_RMC_**: ((rofl)) The Dallas Cowboys debate reminds me of science back when I was in Secondary 1 (I think that's the middle school equivalent of grade...7? Not sure, but I was 13) We had a science teacher who was very easily sidetracked, so every time we got bored, we ask her about the status of our crystal, 'cos we were growing a copper sulphate crystal for fun in the lab. And... ooh.... Leggy with mussed up shirt... Estel should be glad he didn't see that... wouldn't want him getting _wrong _ideas right? ((wink)) And I like thinking of Estel as the type of student who sleeps through everything and anything but still manages to charm his teachers despite their temptations to strangle him. XD Last, yep, there's going to be loads of drama in the last few chapters. There's a pretty near guess you made there about something, so you can go chew on it, and tell me your theories. XD

_**The-Serious-Padfoot**_: ((ego barks and wags tail)) ((me bounces around happily)) Tee hee. Here you go! Hope you like it too! ((bounces off the walls and out the window... into a trash can and... never mind)) (ps: I think I just threw myself away... O.o my ego is too happy)

_**Blade6**_: Welcome back!! ((streamers and balloons)) Ooooh.... Cookie..... and smoothie.... ((big shimmery eyes)) SHHHUGAHHH!!!!!!! ((flying glomps Blade6)) You have just made me one very sugar high author. XDXD Time for to go join Bubbie in eating and sleeping. XDXDXD And that chapter was written while I was high on nothing so... Heeeee.... All my crap was channelled into bullying Leggy dear. XD

**_Grumpy_**: I agree!! Everyone should nap! Especially during lessons!!! It should be a crime to make us students (ok, I'm an ex-student for the time being) wake up early in the morning to go to a place we don't want to go to! As for Leggy... well, we can always hope that the bump on his head makes him even smarter. Then maybe he can help Estel remember his ancestors? ((raises eyebrow))

**_Dawn_**: Thank you! And you... explained this to your husband??? Wow. Doesn't he find it weird considering the fact that it's slash? But I'm glad you liked the story so far, and good luck with your 'converting' him to read fan fiction! I didn't do review replies until recently, when I came across an author who would e-mail all her reviewers every time she posted a new chapter (not through author alert), and I thought that was really nice, plus it made the reviewers feel appreciated, so I decided to try it out. 'Sides, it's a fun way of communicating. And not to mention an outlet for all my hyperness. XD

**_Goldmund_**: The dream... Hmm... it's not exactly real, but it's not exactly false either. XD About Leggy and Danin... I suppose it's the "once bitten twice shy" way of looking at it. He's scared to trust Estel, since the first time someone expressed interest in him (more than just a crush) he ended up being 'kidnapped' etc. And this was from an Elf. So from a Human, whom he probably never had any contact with, he doesn't really know what to expect. Does that make a bit more sense now? Cos truthfully, I didn't really understand my previous argument either. ((cheesy grin))

_**Losing Grip**_: Hee... Kissy kissy between Estel and Leggy coming right up! Well, sort of. In a few more chapters... don't have many situations that they can make out in... Unfortunately. Sigh. Hehehe.

**_Lady Laswen_**: ((rofl)) Must be quite confusing to have such a long string of ancestors... never bothered tracing mine. I think it'd be rather hard too, cos I have roots that extend to 3 countries at least. ((faints)) And I don't even want to start thinking about the names...

_**Tmelange**_: Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the chapters... although this is supposed to be a "drama" not a "humour" story... sigh. Hope you liked this chapter too!

Okie, that's all the replies for this round... I think. Hope I didn't miss anyone out; my fingers are itching to go play Kingdom Hearts for the 5th time now so...

((disappears in a puff of sugar dust))


	12. Mirkwood II

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: I didn't get any hot Elfy or Ranger under my bed on my birthday, so... Nope, not mine. Darn.

**Chapter 11: Mirkwood II**

Estel found himself in a large room that was cast in shadows. The heavy curtains at the windows had been drawn, shutting out the Sun. He shivered involuntarily. The room felt like Death.

The Elven King strode over to a window and flung back the curtains. The sudden change from dark to light made the Human wince and put up his hand to shield his eyes. His gaze fell upon the still figure on the bed, now illuminated by the afternoon sun.

It was Legolas.

His eyes were closed and the bedclothes covering him barely moved as his chest rose and fell slightly. His skin was pale, almost to the point of transparency, and his lips were white.

If Estel had not known better, he would have thought a corpse lay on the bed.

Elrond was shocked as well. "He did not look this bad when I was here last."

Thranduil did not reply, but Estel thought he saw a tear fall from the King's face as he bent over his son. As he straightened, he asked, "Where is it?"

Without thinking, Estel stepped forward and drew the cover off the portrait, presenting it to the Elven King.

Thranduil's eyes widened slightly as he stared at the painting that imprisoned his only son.

"So, this... is what we've been searching for all this while..." he said quietly. He walked over to the window and stood there for a long moment, leaving Estel clutching the painting.

Suddenly, the King struck his fist against the wall and exclaimed bitterly, "Curse you, Danin! Curse you, for making a mockery out of my son in this fashion!"

Elrond sighed. "Thranduil..."

Thranduil whirled and stalked towards them, an angry gleam in his eyes, his fury barely suppressed. "When I get my hands on that Elf, I swear he will wish he had never laid eyes upon my son!"

He stood in the middle of the room, chest heaving, hands clenched at his sides. Elrond raised an eyebrow at him.

Abruptly, the Elven King turned away. "I apologise for that outburst. Now, all that's left for us to do is to find out how to get Legolas back."

He stepped towards Estel and gently took the portrait from him, carrying it over to the window where he scrutinized it under the sunlight. "It really looks like him, doesn't it? So real, almost as though he was standing right here in front of me..."

Elrond turned to Estel and motioned to him to leave the room. Estel complied.

It was not until he found himself in a hall, surrounded by numerous doors that looked exactly the same, that he realized belatedly that he had no idea where he was supposed to go. And there was the fact that his twin brothers were nowhere in sight...

"Estel!"

"There you are!"

Two identical voices exclaimed in unison as Elladan and Elrohir hurried towards him, covered in a slimy substance.

"'Dan! 'Ro! Oh, thank the Valar both of you are alright!"

"Did you miss us already?" Elrohir smirked.

Estel rolled his eyes. "Not with the way you look and smell now. Are you hurt?"

Elladan shook his head. "The Mirkwood patrols came just in time. If they had arrived just a little later, we might have already been spider fodder."

Estel made a face. "That is disgusting."

"By the way, where's Ada? And what are you doing all the way here?" Elrohir asked he took his brother's arm and walked him in the direction of the guest chambers.

"Ada's in that room with the King and Legolas. And, the real Legolas isn't looking too well."

The twins exchanged a look.

"Let us pray that Mithrandir arrives soon, then," Elladan said grimly.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.xX**_

Thranduil had requested that he be left alone with his son that night, so it was with mixed feelings that Estel went to bed.

He was glad that he'd be able to get a proper night's sleep after the journey from Rivendell, but on the other hand...

It felt a little _strange_ knowing that he wouldn't have to entertain a certain blonde Elf while others slept peacefully.

He shrugged it off and drifted off to sleep, hoping that the nightmares he'd been having would not plague him that night.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.xX**_

"Ada!"

"Legolas!"

The Prince practically flew into his father's arms as soon as he had emerged from the portrait.

"I missed you so much, Ada."

"As did I, my little Greenleaf."

Thranduil wiped the tears from his son's face and smiled down at the shining blue eyes. He had almost forgotten how it was like to hold his son and hear his voice.

"I never thought I'd see you again. It feels as though I'm dreaming."

"You're not dreaming, Legolas. Trust me. Soon, you'll be back home for good."

Thranduil sent up a petition to the Valar as he hugged his son tightly, ignoring the fact that he could not feel any warmth coming from the lithe body. _'Please, I'll do anything, just... don't let me lose him again.'_

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.xX**_

It was a much happier Thranduil who joined the Rivendell Elves at breakfast the next morning. His eyes held a new determination that had not been there previously.

As soon as the meal was over, he leaned forward and addressed Elrond, "I suppose that all we can do now is wait for Mithrandir to arrive?"

Elrond was about to reply when a hurried knock sounded on the door and an Elf peered in. "Your Majesty, Mithrandir is here."

The relief on the King's face was apparent as he gave his leave for the Istar to be shown in.

Moments later, the grey-clad wizard strode into the room, his eyes sparkling with something akin to excitement. "Well? Is it true that the painting has been found?"

"Yes! It has! And we were just waiting for you to come so that you could free Legolas!" Thranduil was almost bursting with joy and anticipation.

The wizard shook his head. "Don't get your hopes too high yet, I might not be able to help him. But come, let's see that infamous painting of Danin's and I'll do what I can to help your son."

As the King led the wizard back to Legolas' room, Estel lagged behind and asked Elladan, "What does he mean by saying he might not be able to help? I thought that Mithrandir is able to do anything, as long as it concerns magic?"

His brother shook his head. "I don't know either. But I suppose that even Istari are not all-powerful."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.xX**_

The Elves and Human stood in silence as Mithrandir examined the painting closely, muttering to himself as he fingered the frame and looked at it from different angles. Finally, he set it down and paced back and forth, a frown upon his face.

"Well?" Thranduil asked expectantly.

The wizard started and looked up, before giving a chuckle. "Dear me, I'd quite forgotten I wasn't alone in the room."

Thranduil shook his head impatiently. "Never mind about that, can you help him?"

Mithrandir sighed and ran a hand through his beard thoughtfully. "It is more... complicated than we had expected."

"What do you mean?"

"The spell that Danin used, it belongs to one of the heretic orders. I am unfamiliar with it and cannot reverse it."

"What?!"

The wizard held up a hand before Thranduil started ranting. "And even if I knew the spell to use, I'm afraid that I still wouldn't be able to reverse it. He used his blood in the binding process, and we need his blood to do the unbinding."

Thranduil growled in frustration. "But, the Seers have been searching for him for _centuries_ without any luck! How are we to find him with barely a month left before..."

"That is because they are using magic to find him."

"Well, how else are they supposed to find him? No one knows where he is, or even if he still lives!" Thranduil started pacing agitatedly.

"I might be able to help on that," the wizard offered.

He gestured to them to sit down, then walked over to the window and stared contemplatively out of it.

After a long silence, he began to speak. "I've been doing some searching of my own, these past centuries. It occurred to me that, perhaps, Danin has fled to join the company of others like him. When the witch realm of Angmar was destroyed, not all its people perished. There are rumours of some who escaped, and formed small tribes of their own. They kept their magic alive and secret, and so little is known of them that even I am not sure as to how much knowledge they possess of such arts.

"It seems that in time, most of these separate tribes converged to form a small realm - one that has been kept hidden by their magic, such that none can find it unless they are fated to. It is my belief that Danin is in this hidden realm of mages."

"Where is it? What is it called?" Estel asked excitedly.

The wizard smiled fondly at the eager Human. "Have you ever heard of the hidden village of the Onbekend?"

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.xX**_

"It sounds a little unbelievable, if you ask me," Legolas said skeptically as he sat cross-legged on the bed, his father, Mithrandir, Estel and the Rivendell Elves seated around him.

The wizard shook his head slightly. "Perhaps it does, but there is a high chance that the answer lies in the hidden village."

"Do you even know where it is?" Elrond asked.

The wizard snorted. "As I said, it is veiled from all who use magic, thus ensuring it's secrecy. But from the information I have gathered, its likely location would be somewhere in the forest around Dol Guldur."

Thranduil almost jumped out of his chair. "What?! You mean all these years he's been so close by and I - "

Elrond interrupted the King, "You must remember, my friend, the shadow has only left Dol Guldur recently. The mages might only have relocated there recently as well. Besides, as Mithrandir says, they are hidden from your Seers, and you commanded your soldiers not to venture too near to it lest they be taken by the Shadow that haunted it. Although I certainly do not see why anyone in their right mind would take up residence near Dol Guldur."

Mithrandir smiled. "Yes, that puzzled me too. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to me. Dol Guldur may have been deserted by the Shadow, but dregs of power still remain. If those mages are able to use that power to hide their existence better, then I believe they would rather stay near to danger than come out into the open and be persecuted by everyone."

"If that's the case," Estel wondered out loud, "how come you didn't find that village and Danin? I meant no offence, Mithrandir," he added quickly as he realized how that comment sounded.

The wizard gave a laugh. "My dear Estel, if I'd walked into the village I probably would not have walked out alive, assuming that I managed to find it in the first place. The fact that they are heretics is a very sore point, and they would not like to have it rubbed into their faces if I, an _Istar_, were to walk into their midst and demand that they hand over one of their comrades. I believe I'd most probably have been burnt at stake for that."

"Then, how are we ever going to find Danin?" Elrohir asked, puzzled.

"Not we, you."

Elrohir's jaw dropped. "Me?"

Mithrandir nodded. "Yes, you and your brothers. I will give you directions as to the location of the village. Assuming it is there, you will have to bring Danin back using whatever method you choose."

"But, why them?" Legolas protested.

"It would look suspicious if your father left; you are unable to go in this state; Lord Elrond has to stay to make sure nothing happens to your body while they are searching for Danin; I can't go, otherwise I'll put your friends into danger. And I don't suggest that you send your army out either, Thranduil. You might end up with a war with the mages in your hands."

Thranduil opened his mouth to protest, then thought better of it and scowled at the wizard. "How did you know I was going to do that?"

Mithrandir smiled at the King. "Because you are as impulsive as your father, and it appears to run in the family."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.xX**_

"So, you'll be leaving tomorrow?" Legolas asked the Human.

Estel nodded. "Better that we leave as soon as possible. We might run into delays."

The two of them had been left alone in Legolas' room after the rest had gone to bed. Thranduil would have stayed if his son had not requested to be alone with his Human friend. He had left grudgingly, but was not willing to deny any request from his newly returned son.

"That's good then." Legolas looked down at his sleeping form. "At least this way I'll know there is hope for me."

Estel watched the Elf curiously. It felt so surreal, to see the soul next to the body like that...

Legolas stretched out his hand hesitantly to touch the translucent skin of his body, then gasped in shock as his hand went right through the flesh.

"Estel - "

In a flash, the Human was beside him, hugging the trembling Elf and whispering comforting words into his ear. "It's alright, Legolas. You probably can't touch your real body because, well, you're only the soul. I'm sure it's nothing."

"No," the Elf whispered, dazed. "It's not nothing. My time here is almost at an end, Estel."

"Don't say that."

"It's true! I can feel it... all the time... and," he broke away from the Human and gestured at the body on the bed, "if I wasn't dying would I look like that?"

Estel was silent for a moment before he asked, "But do you really believe that?"

"I don't know. I don't know anymore. It's just that... It's getting harder to come out now."

"What do you mean?"

Legolas sighed and shook his head in frustration. "You won't understand. It feels like... I'm being swallowed. By this, darkness that refuses to let go. I don't know how much longer I can fight it."

"I know how it feels. I've dreamt of it. I... hear you calling me."

"You do?"

Estel nodded, then laid a hand on the Elf's shoulder. "You must be strong. Wait for us, we will find a way to free you."

"I know, but, somehow, I have a feeling what you seek will not be there, in that village."

Estel tightened his grip on the Elf. "You must not give up. Promise me; promise you will wait for us. That you will fight, to the end if that is the case. You must not give in, you hear me?"

Legolas nodded, then hesitantly placed a hand over the Human's. "I will. I'll try my very best. I'll wait until I have no choice but to leave."

Estel nodded. "That's good then."

They sat, staring at each other until Estel realized what kind of position they were in. He cleared his throat loudly and hurriedly stood up. "I guess I should be going to sleep now."

Legolas smiled. "Sleep well, Estel." He watched the Human exit the room, a wistful look on his face.

"Hurry, Estel," he whispered to the empty room. "I fear that there will be nothing left by the time you come back to me."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.xX**_

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Chapter in honour of my birthday!!! A very big thank you to all the nice birthday wishes you wonderful reviewers left, and hope you like this chapter! It's the one before all the action starts so... ((wink wink)) Updates will be every other Tuesday again, unless I miraculously finish this story in the next 2 days. Which is highly unlikely, so look out for the next instalment on the... ((whips out calendar and counts)) 9th of November.

Anyway, on to my ramblings about this chapter. This is where the whole AU thing and my over-active imagination kick in. I can't really remember what I wanted to comment about this chapter, considering that I wrote it a really long time ago, but the idea for the whole mage village has to do with the 2 blue Istari who came over to ME with Mithrandir and Saruman. If I'm not wrong, there's mention of them in "Unfinished Tales of Middle Earth" and also some info in the website glyphweb. com / arda (without the spaces, add the triple w in front etc) under blue wizards. Maps of Dol Guldur can also be found there, just do a little site searching.

Reason for Dol Guldur? None at all. It was just the most convenient place I could think of. Right at Thranduil's doorstep. (hint hint) Erm... name of the village – Onbekend... I wish I could claim to have made it up myself, but given the inspiration I have for original names... it's actually Dutch for ((drum roll)) "unknown". ((falls down)) Yes, yes, very bad imagination and unoriginal to boot when it comes to names. ((digs a hole and hides)) The way I come up with names is to dig up all sorts of foreign dictionaries online, type in the root word I want, and then pick the most exotic sounding name of the lot. ((sheepish grin))

Okie, review replies for the previous chapter! ((takes deep breath of sugar dust and starts typing furiously))

**_Goldmund1110_**: And there you have Estel's reaction and a rather... dramatic reunion of body and soul. ((bounces)) And unfortunately the soul can't just get sucked back into the body, everyone lives happily every after, because... hehehe, Estel wouldn't have an excuse to save Legolas etc if that happens. XD Forgive me if I'm not making sense again, my brain kinda shut down from playing too much computer games the whole afternoon. :-D

**_Kitty_**: Oh wow, thanks! I'm glad you liked the action scene. I think it's the first I've ever written... Apart from 1 paragraph in another story that is. ((beams happily))

**_Someone Stupid_**: ((jams halo on top of horns; shoves tail behind fake fluffy wings)) I really _was_ sweet and innocent once... I used to be the angel of the group/shield when my partners-in-crime wanted to play tricks on our teachers. XD Then they corrupted me so... here I am today. Tee hee. And I agree that they really want each other... all the shoulder-groping and private conversations in Elvish in the movies... ((crazy fangirl screaming)) Plus the fact that Legolas dressed up so prettily like a bride at the end of RotK, but Aragorn being the dumb Ranger that he is didn't notice and went for Arwen instead. Tsk tsk, he doesn't know a good thing even when he's hit on the head with one. XD

**_Marbienl_**: Heh... Actually, I'm a pretty big fan of Cassia and Sio's stuff... I stayed up till 3 for a few nights running to read all their stories the time it dawned on blur old me that all the nice, long and interesting stories I had been keeping track of were coming from them. And I think it kinda rubbed off... I never noticed that line is actually the title of their latest story! Erm... Spiders biting the painting... maybe it'd break a fang? XD Or perhaps the fibre from the frame would aid its digestive system. XD Evil me. As for covering the portrait, I guess it's to protect it so it doesn't get ripped by accident, and to make sure Estel doesn't get too caught up with staring at it that he brains himself on a tree. XD

**_Sielge_**: Thank you! ((ego inflates)) I think my ego is getting too happy over all the birthday wishes from everyone... ((bounces happily))

**_Nienna Coamenel_**: ((rofl)) That's alright. I'm having problems writing when it comes to having Leggy-the-soul and Leggy-the-body in the same room, makes me want to just hang tags on them with the label "LTS" and "LTB" respectively. XD More Estel and Leggy stuff coming soon!

**_Lil-Legolas-2931_**: ((roflm)) Ouch... ripping the blindfold off has got to hurt... ((giggles)) Thanks for interrupting them (now, I wonder WHAT they were doing) to get them to sing me a birthday song. XD Glad you're enjoying the story, hope you like this chapter as well! XD

**_Dawn_**: Oooh, I like your logic about the toy store... but then the sales assistants give me strange looks whenever I drop by with my friends to cuddle stuffed toys... maybe 'cos I bounce too much? ((whistles innocently)) And omg, you're a teacher... let me start worshipping you... I did a relief teaching stint for half a year and I felt like killing my students in as slow and painful a manner as possible. Thank goodness it's the hols now. ((sigh of relief)) But about the personality change thingy... ((imagines self as a rabid fangirl in 20 years time)) ((roflm)) Ahem. Anyway, glad both of you liked the chapter!

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Hmm... But if you read this stuff in the car, wouldn't whoever's beside you be wondering what you're reading and trying to sneak a look? Anyway, being a passenger's more fun than a driver, that way you can sleep at anytime you want and you won't get into trouble. XD Hehehe... well, at least that's what I think. My mum's been trying to make me stay awake so I can memorise more routes now that I can drive... Sob sob... no more car-napping...

**_Empath89_**: Hahahaha... I go into warped-fangirl-overdrive sometimes when I read "normal" stories too... I think it's just the state of my warped little mind. ((whistles innocently)) But it's not implied slash in this story, just non-graphic. So you won't have to imagine too much, although there are several "fill-in-the-blanks-with-any-scene-you-like" moments coming up later... ((wink wink))

**_Sorry, u don't know mi_**: Err... cute name. You sure I don't know you? Maybe I'm your secret stalker... ((evil laughter)) And thanks for the song. :-D

**_Tmelange_**: Thank you! ((bounces and waves birthday streamers))

**_Blade6_**: Yup, sugar keeps me going ((waves sugar addicts anonymous flag)) It's my external power source that works a leetle too well. I used to bounce throughout physics lectures after eating a bar of chocolate back in school... I think I drove all the people behind me nuts 'cos I couldn't keep still. Happy Halloween to you too, hope you had fun trick or treating! Good thing we don't do that over here... I'd probably eat all the candies before nightfall. XD

**_Child of Magick_**: ((grins)) Thank you! Hope you liked this chapter!

**_Grumpy_**: Yup, he took the late watches so he could have Leggy all to himself. XD Ahem. I guess Thranduil didn't exactly have much say in whether or not Estel could stay or not, 'cos I think Elrond would never send the blundering Human™ back to Rivendell just because a certain Elven King threw a tantrum... Oooh.. I'd like to see Thranduil throw a tantrum. He'd be soo... CUTE!!! XDXD

**_Losing Grip_**: Nah, I think Thranduil is just a little anal-retentive when it comes to matters concerning his precious son. But he has to be nice to Estel sooner or later considering that he's Estel's future father-in-law. XDXDXD

**_RMC_**: ((lol)) No problem... Actually, I can't remember what I wrote in reply to your last review either... must go and dig out the file... argh, forget it. I'm getting really stoned now, so erm... I'll give you a more hyper and nicer reply the next time, ok? Suffering from lack of sleep... bleh.

That's all, folks! If I missed anyone out, really sorry about that! My eyes are closing on me and I'm starting to see stars from staring at the screen for so long... Good night and happy Halloween! (even thought I think it's over on my side of the world already... O.o I need to sleep.)


	13. Quest

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: I own various screen caps of Legolas and Aragorn... Is that counted as owning them? ((flutters eyelashes at copyright owners)) ((is hit over the head by reality)) Rats.

**Chapter 12: Quest**

Estel repressed a shiver that ran down his spine for the millionth time. The air in the forest felt more oppressive the closer they got to Dol Guldur. And the silence, it wasn't normal.

"Scared?"

The Human jumped when Elladan spoke suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"No," he hissed back. "Just... I don't like the way the place feels."

"I know what you mean," Elrohir reigned in his horse such that the three of them were riding almost side by side through the dense wood. "There's something in the air, that feels like we're being watched.

"Do you think it's... them?" Estel gulped nervously and shifted on his horse. Sensing its owner's discomfort, the horse nickered softly and tossed its head, as though saying that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Maybe. Be alert. We cannot afford to make mistakes."

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

"It's been five days since they left, Ada," Legolas sat by his window and stared out at the dark forest that seemed to swallow up the moonlight.

Thranduil moved to stand beside his son.

"Do you think," the younger Elf ventured hesitantly, "they have found it?"

The Elven King sighed. "I don't know, Legolas. I don't know."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Estel poked the fired moodily, then shoved the stick into the heart of the flame impatiently.

"Calm down, Estel." Elrohir muttered from the other side of the fire where he lay on his back, staring up at the dense canopy.

"I don't see how you can stand it," the Human stood up and began pacing. "We've been searching the area around Dol Guldur for _days_, and we've found _nothing_!"

"Perhaps," Elladan began as he leant forward and knitted his brows, "we're not searching the right places."

"But Mithrandir said that they were located around the area of Dol Guldur!" The Human growled in frustration as he sat down once more with a thump.

Elrohir suddenly sat up right and looked at his twin. "You don't think?"

Elladan nodded. "It's worth a try. But perhaps only after we've finished scouring the perimeter."

Estel tried to puzzle out their conversation, before he gave and grumbled, "For those without the ability to complete each other's sentences?"

Elrohir rolled his eyes and said, "Use your head, Estel. If they're not around Dol Guldur, where could they be?"

Elladan added, "And if the aura of power can be felt so far from the centre, imagine what it would be like..."

"In Dol Guldur." The Human's eyes lit up with newfound hope. "They're in Dol Guldur itself!"

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

"One thing doesn't make sense to me. They say Dol Guldur is occupied by the Nazgul, but how could the mages bear to live anywhere near them?" Elrond commented to Mithrandir, as they pored over the maps and books in Thranduil's library, trying to figure out where else the mage village could be located if their guess proved to be wrong.

"It is only _said_, there is no proof," the wizard remarked absently as he shuffled through the stack of parchments.

"What do you mean?" Elrond raised an eyebrow.

"Think of it this way," the wizard put down the maps and looked straight at the Elf Lord. "Imagine a race, feared and hated by all others - a race that possesses untold power and capable of much destruction, yet with the capacity to be loyal to those who do not oppress them. Now, add in a Dark Lord, controller of the Nazgul, who also possesses much power, but would give anything to have even more power. And don't forget that no Elf or Human in his or her right mind would dare to enter the stronghold of a Nazgul without a good reason to. Do you get what I mean now?"

"By the Valar," Elrond was stunned, "If what you say is correct, Dol Guldur is no Nazgul stronghold. It's a breeding ground for the mages."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

The two Elves and the Human fought their way through the dense undergrowth. It was amazing how the thorn bushes had managed to grow under the dark eaves of the Mirkwood forest. The air was still and heavy, and the aura of power was growing stronger. It was getting even harder to breathe.

"I thought that Dol Guldur was supposed to be a wasteland, not some bramble-covered piece of rock!" Estel growled as another rip was added to the vast collection of rents and tears in his clothing.

"Cheer up, baby brother, we're not even close to the actual site yet."

Estel rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to shove the ever-cheerful Elrohir face first into the thorn bush.

Eventually, after a long struggle, they emerged into sunlight, and onto the edge of a cliff.

"This is it? There's - " Estel's words died on his lips as he looked out over the dead land that stretched out before him. There was utter silence hanging over the empty waste, with a black tower in the distance that stuck out like a mast of a ship stranded on the rocks.

"We failed. We didn't find the village." The bitterness in Elladan's voice was echoed in their hearts.

"We must go back, as fast as we can. There is still time! We _will_ find the village and Danin!" Elrohir tried to cheer his brother up.

The twins turned and made their way back to the path they had cut in order to find the source of the power. Estel turned too, and was about to follow when something struck him as odd.

"Wait."

He could hear something, a tiny voice speaking in his head:

_**The eyes only see what they want to see...**_

The twins stopped when their brother spoke. "Estel, we must hurry."

"No, just give me some time, there's something strange here, but I can't figure out what's wrong."

_**The ears only hear what they want to hear...**_

The twins looked at each other, then at their brother who was pacing the ground and muttering to himself.

_**The heart sees and hears all things. Which do you trust?**_

Finally, the Human looked up and smiled slightly. "This isn't real."

"What?"

"Remember? Mithrandir said that they used magic to keep intruders out. What if, this is part of the spell? Maybe, the village is right here before our eyes, but we just can't see it!"

The twins stared at him as though he had gone crazy. "You're not making much sense, Estel."

"Look at it this way, we've come so far, why not stay a little longer and see if we can find a way in? We're only on the borders of Dol Guldur, maybe the village is located further inside..."

Elrohir shuddered slightly. "Much as I hate the thought of having to step foot into _that_ place, I suppose that you're right. For once."

Estel scowled. "I resent that."

They turned back towards the cliff face and started to pick their way down carefully, their boots dislodging pieces of stone that bounced and clattered towards the bottom of the valley.

Suddenly, the Human lost his footing and slid down the steep slope. He flailed his hands wildly, clawing at the rock beneath him, but could not stop his descent. Over the noise caused by the shifting stones, he heard his brothers' frightened shouts as they scrambled down after him. A large rock loomed up before him, and he knew that there was no way he could avoid hitting it...

He came to a crashing halt as he slammed into an invisible wall, barely a few feet away from the rock that would have cracked his skull open. Stunned, he pressed his hands hesitantly against the surface. It seemed to pulse under his hands, but yet, he could see nothing...

"Estel!"

He turned, his confusion written all over his face. "There's something here!"

The invisible wall gave way beneath his hands and he fell forward once more...

But this time, it was not a rock that lay before him.

It was a village made of stone and thatch, sitting in a middle of a valley whose edges he was approaching now.

Very steep, almost vertical edges.

'_Oh, Valar, I have the worst luck possible.'_ He thought as held shot over the edge and was suspended momentarily in mid-air.

Just as he started falling, he felt threads snaking around his body and limbs, pulling upwards, tighter and tighter...

His downward plummet was harnessed, and he winced as the threads cut into his skin, but that pain was soon forgotten, as he slammed into the rock face and lost consciousness.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

"Estel!" Elladan cried frantically as they suddenly lost sight of their younger brother. But, how could it be possible when there weren't any pits he could have fallen into in sight?

The twins ran smack into an unseen surface, and drew back in surprise, all thoughts of finding their brother forgotten.

"Dan? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Elrohir asked as he poked at it.

"Is this... the force shielding Onbekend?" Elladan wondered.

Elrohir pressed his hands against it and tried to push his way through, but to no avail.

"It's no use! We can't get past the barrier like this! And, Estel is on the other side!"

Elladan growled in frustration and struck his fist against the barrier. Suddenly, invisible threads wrapped themselves around his limbs and his neck. He struggled madly but could not free himself. "It's a trap!" he yelled as he felt the loops around his neck tighten, cutting off his air. "Run, 'Ro!"

He saw his twin run towards him, but halt suddenly in his tracks, fingers clawing at his neck. Bright spots danced before his eyes and Elladan fell forward, unconscious from the lack of air. Moments later, Elrohir joined his brother's still form on the ground.

A figure stepped out from behind a large rock, fingers draped with many threads that gleamed silver in the sunlight. It glided towards them and bent over each one to make sure they were still alive.

"We have not had visitors for a long time, yet this is the welcome you give them, Hectrix?" A sardonic voice commented.

Hectrix shrugged as she continued to unwind the threads from her fingers, casting them away into the air where they floated away, looking like pieces of a broken spiders web. "It is none of your concern, Zykon. You know the rules."

"No one enters Onbekend, unless it is fate."

"Don't just stand there. Help me bring them to the Lamia."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

**TBC**

Author's notes:

((gulp)) Err... Yeah, more bad naming from yours truly... and there's more to come. ((digs a really deep hole)) I'm jealous of those writers who can come up with nice _cool_ names at a drop of a hat... Anyway, 'Lamia' means 'witch' in Latin, so no guessing what role that is. XD 'Hectrix' is from the same book I 'borrowed' Danin's name from... too lazy to dig out my notes with the full title... Last but not least, 'Zykon' was name by wonderful me. The significance? None at all. I wanted a name that starts with a 'Z', and short of 'zebra' I couldn't think of anything else. And since I was drooling about Sephiroth from FF7, my chain of thought ran something like: _Oh... sex icon Sephy... yummy... hmm, maybe I'll call this guy Icon? Nah, stupid... argh heck, 'Z' plus 'Icon' equals to 'Zykon'_ etc. And the name stuck so. ((sheepish grin))

And sorry I forgot to post yesterday... was busy doing research on 'social justice' for a mini-essay I've to write for my accommodation application... ((cries)) and numerous websites later, I'm no closer to enlightenment. Heck, I think I just dropped further on the 'lightened' scale, been pigging out on chocs and chips... and if anyone's wondering, I'm being corny 'cos I ate... corn for lunch. ((falls down))

So here begins the main part of the story, and all the action as well. Finally! Things are moving in terms of plot. (what plot??? O.o) Sorry, that was my evil conscience. Yes, there IS a plot! A plot to get Estel and Leggy into the same bed and **_CENSORED_**. Ahem.

Ok. Enough rambling for the post (which is actually an excuse 'cos I'm only typing with one hand... stuffing my face with Ruffles chips with the other... yum!) it's review replies time!!!

**_Tmelange_**: Thanks! And maybe you could help me offer sugar to the god(dess) of writer's blocks/pure laziness in the hopes of getting lazy ol' me to start writing again? ((puppy dog eyes))

**_Empath89_**: Glad you liked the idea of a mage village... It's the product of me being too lazy to write them travelling to the far corners of ME in search of 1 person. XD And I think I was influenced by the concept of mages from 'Brothers in Arms' by the Nightrunners too... :-D Anyway, thanks for the review!

**_Marbienl_**: Ooh... you're Dutch? Btw, what does 'Waarom heb ik nu zo'n flauw vermoeden dat je Nederlands bent?' mean? And nope, me not Dutch... closest thing is maybe a _leetle_ bit of Dutch blood somewhere along the my grandpa's line, 'cos he migrated over from a former Dutch colony a long long time ago... And Dutch sounds exotic to me, cos I've never heard it before, never been to the Netherlands, (other than during Geography lessons and stuff about polders and the Zuider Zee) and the only other language I speak properly (and coherently, although I've been told I slur my words together) is... SECRET! XD Tee hee! Hint: I come from a tropical island on the other side of the world from the Netherlands. Anyway, good luck for your exams! Unless I'm too late and they're over already? If so then good luck for results!

**_Sielge_**: Thank you!!! Such niceness is making my ego fat... ((pats ego)) but better ego than me right? XD

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Haha... lucky you... my dad never allowed me to read in the car... and I'm always stuck between 2 older sisters anyway, so not a very conducive environment to be reading _ahem_ stuff. ((wink)) And this story is going to be slashier towards the end, and pretty fluffy to boot... Just realised after reading your comment about fluffy slash that this is fluffier than I expected... O.o oh dear. Must be the rabid plot bunnies' fault... all those evil bundles of fluff... ((wanders off rambling about fluff))

**_Saiko Senshi_**: ((hides)) Yeah, got bad naming sense... I mean, I've got at least 3 stuffed toys with the same name!!! And they're all named after my favourite dog!!! Plus numerous others who are named after my _other_ dogs!!! ((faints)) But thanks for the nice comment and ego-inflation, and don't worry about the reviewing. I'm usually too lazy to review for other people as well. Hee hee...

**_Losing Grip_**: The way I see things, Estel won't know he's in love with Leggy until the Elf hits him on the head. XD Or maybe Leggy can give him a few (un)subtle hints? ((goes into raving fangirl mode)) FEEL THE LURVE!!!!!!!!! ((gets hit on the head by not-so-raving fangirls)) ((spazzes out))

**_Psychic Risika_**: Thank you! Hope you liked the rest of the chapters... considering that my first chapter was just a few hundred word drabble...

**_Child of Magick_**: Hm... 'Magick'... 'Mage'... Do you have magical powers??? ((puppy dog eyes)) Tee hee, don't mind me, just being my lunatic self. Glad you like the mage village too, and thanks for reviewing!

**_Dawn_**: TV production? What's that? Sounds fun... Why didn't they teach us that??? Oh wait, high school would be the equivalent of junior college (I think) so... darn. Never saw such a subject on my school's list before. But fangirling _FUN_, although I doubt my future patients will appreciate a sugar-high, rabid-fangirl giving them their check-ups... Yup, gonna be a doctor... FEAR ME!! ((waves needles)) And I think I get what you were trying to say... kinda like maturing in your head but remaining young at heart? Something like that... Oh, and happy playing with your oven! XD Baking is fun, clearing up isn't. XP

**_KeshiShimmer_**: Hee, well, it's not 'blatantly overt' slash as you put it 'cos I get uncomfortable trying to write that kind of stuff. My fingers are still too innocent for my brain. XD And... hmm... I don't think his body would have changed much... just maybe grown a little? And there's muscle wasting and whatever that I don't intend to go into great detail about. Too lazy. XD Hope that answers your question. :-D

**_Someone Stupid_**: ((roflm)) That was a highly entertaining review. And yup, someone did use 'sorry you don't know mi' in the review, but it was just a birthday song... I think. Can't remember. And I wouldn't mind getting to know some of my more lunatic reviewers, then we can go corrupt the world with sugar and slash together!!! XDXD And images of Estel and Leggy making out at every moment, every corner, everywhere and... ((off in rabid fangirl delusions again)) Ahem. Don't worry, you don't scare/scar me, I usually do that to my partners-in-crime, which says a lot about my (non-existent) state of innocence. Happy listening to your evil halves!!!

**_High-Queen-Tashi_**: ((loads you with chocs and pure sugar)) Join the Sugar Addicts Anonymous group! Where each session is made up of sugar overdosing and sugar highness!!! XDXD Nope, Danin's _not_ in Mirkwood... Nyuk nyuk, go figure. XD And good luck for your exams!

**_Grumpy_**: It's not a wild goose chase!! Really!! ((whistles innocently)) But don't worry, I'm not killing Leggy off again, killed him before in a previous story and got beaten up by my friend who's a Leggy fangirl so... nope, I like my head where it is. ((clutches neck protectively))

**_Lady Phoenix Slytherin_**: Thanks! And here's the next chapter, enjoy!

**_Lady Laswen_**: O.o Man, that is some complicated family history... ((goes cross-eyed trying to figure out the connections)) I give up. But I have to agree, I find it strange that Aragorn married his cousin/great-to-the-power-of-dunno-what-aunt. Very complicated... 'Tis not good for sugar-overdosed brains like mine to figure out. XD And thanks for the reviews and b'day wishes!!! ((bounces happily))

Phew! That's all... hopefully. I don't think I missed anyone out... if I did, sorry! I'm running way behind schedule now... got to dash! See you guys in 2 weeks and thanks for reading and reviewing!!


	14. Onbekend

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Go away. They're not mine.

**Chapter 13: Onbekend**

Estel moaned and opened his eyes slightly. He winced when a shaft of sunlight struck him full in the face and regretted his decision of waking up. His arms burned and felt like they had been cut by numerous threads.

_Threads?_

A stifled groan from behind him informed him that at least one of his twin brothers was in the same room as him. Estel looked around as best as he could without moving, and noted that they were lying in the centre of what looked like a hut. Gingerly, the Human sat up, trying not to aggravate the throbbing headache he had from crashing into the unyielding cliff.

They were in a rather large hut, or so it seemed. It was round and had a high roof made of thatch. The doorway was simply an open hole over which a piece of cloth was pulled for privacy. His brothers were both with him, even though he did not remember seeing them before he lost consciousness.

"Where are we?" he asked after the pounding had subsided and the twins had reached the stage of consciousness where they could speak coherently.

Elladan fingered the lines left on his neck left by the threads. "Apparently we're not dead, otherwise I suppose this wouldn't hurt as much. Which leaves the option of being held captive."

"Captive? By whom?" Estel looked at his hands and feet. "And, why aren't we bound?"

"Because there is no need to bind you." A dry voice spoke from the doorway of the hut.

The three prisoners immediately looked over to find a tall man leaning casually against the frame. He had hair so light that it was almost white, yet his skin was dark, and he had amber eyes that were unnaturally bright. They had never seen anyone like that before.

He scrutinized them for a moment longer before speaking over his shoulder to someone else, "I'm glad you didn't overdo it, Hectrix. Mother wouldn't be pleased if you accidentally strangled them to death."

"Get out of my way and get lost, Zykon." A young woman with long brown hair and dark green eyes pushed past him impatiently.

He bowed mockingly. "As you wish, my lady." He strolled away, leaving the woman alone.

Hectrix stopped a few paces away from them and dropped a bag on the floor together with a water skin. "Eat. The Lamia will see you after sunset."

She turned and walked back towards the entrance. "Don't try to escape. You may not be bound, but you will never get out of this place without our permission."

She swept out of the hut, pulling the thick cloth down over the entrance.

Elladan, Elrohir and Estel stared at each other.

"What was that all about?"

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

True to her word, as soon as the sun had set, Hectrix had come back for them and led them out of their prison. Why they followed her willingly was a mystery to them - their limbs seemed to move on their own accord, and they made no break for freedom.

The hut they found themselves in was very large and spacious. It, too, was circular, and had a raised platform of wood surrounding a large circle of earth, in the middle of which a large fire burnt. The roof directly over the fire had a hole in it, thus allowing the smoke to waft away from those gathered. A sea of strange faces greeted them as they entered, and they could hear the spectators talking to each other in a strange tongue.

Hectrix left the Elves and the Human standing before a pedestal with their backs to the fire, before she melted away into the crowd without saying a word to them. Upon the pedestal was an ornate chair carved from dark wood and inlaid with ivory - a throne. Zykon sat on the right of the throne, at the feet of its occupant, smiling a predatory smile at them.

Upon the throne sat a woman who was now staring at them with her piercing eyes. She was not old, yet her hair was pure white and was coiled around her head like a crown. She too had dark skin and amber eyes; it was obvious that she was related to Zykon.

"Why are you here, strangers?" Her voice was low and husky. Estel felt his hair standing. Somehow... he did not like the tone of her voice.

Elladan cleared his throat. "We are looking for the village of Onbekend."

"You have found it. So what do you propose to do about it?" Zykon drawled as he fiddled with a dagger and a whetstone.

"We are looking for someone. We - "

"You should not have come," the woman interrupted, her hard gaze silencing Elladan's attempt at explaining. "You shouldn't even have thought of finding this place."

"Who are you anyway?" Estel blurted out, unable to hold back his curiosity. He had never seen his elder brother so easily silenced before.

Two pairs of amber eyes drilled into his silver gaze. He stuck out his chin defiantly and refused to back down. Finally, the woman flicked her eyes away from him and ran a skeptical gaze over the three of them.

"You would speak with more care and respect, young man, if you knew what's good for you. I am the Lamia, and whether you live or die is my decision alone."

Zykon stood up and stalked towards them, circling them like they were his prey. "No one enters Onbekend unless it is fate. Your fate has brought you here, and, unfortunately, we cannot change that."

He reached out a hand and brushed aside the hair covering Elrohir's ear. The Elf flinched away and glared darkly at him, but he ignored him.

"Just as I thought, Mother. A Human travelling with two Elves." He resumed his position by the Lamia's feet and continued to sharpen his dagger as the crowd started to chatter excitedly at the revelation that the three captives were two-thirds Elven-kind.

The Lamia frowned, her amber eyes glinting in the firelight. "Speak truthfully. Why are you here?"

Elladan bowed his head slightly in respect. "We seek an Elf, my lady. His name is Danin."

The Lamia shrugged nonchalantly even though her gaze seemed to sharpen. "You have come to the wrong place. We are not an Elven settlement."

"He is a mage. At least, we believe he is a mage."

"Oh?" Zykon raised an eyebrow and examined the gleaming blade. "And why do you say so?"

Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other, wondering how much they should tell her. Estel simply stepped forward and started to speak. "Because he cast a spell on a friend of ours and that friend is now dying."

"It is none of our concern."

"He stole our friend's soul."

Immediately, there was a buzz as the other occupants of the hut began talking excitedly among themselves. The Lamia held out a hand and silenced them. "To accuse one of my people of doing that," she began in a flinty voice, "is a grave insult to me. And one punishable by death."

Elrohir shot his Human brother a look and hastily intervened. "My apologies, my lady. My brother is young and lacks tact. The Elf we seek, was not one of your people when he committed this horrendous deed. When we set out to find him and bring him to justice, he disappeared completely from our sight. We believe that he sought refuge with your people, as we wouldn't be able to find him easily this way. The name Onbekend is not known to many, and it was as a last resort that my brothers and I set out to find a village that is not supposed to exist."

The Lamia sat back and smiled slightly. Apparently his explanation and subtle flattery had pleased her. "We take great pains to hide our village from the eyes of others, of course you wouldn't be able to find it easily."

Elladan nodded. "That is why we suspected that Danin has fled here. Please, my Lady, I beg you to help us. Our friend is the only child, and his father has already lost his mother. It would kill him to lose his son as well."

The Lamia laid a hand on the Zykon's head even as his eyes narrowed and he readied himself to retort with another rude comment. "Peace, child. It is not that we refuse to help you, but..."

She beckoned to someone in the crowd. A robed figure and hooded figure rose and glided over to the Lamia, bowing respectfully before approaching her to stand on the left of the throne.

The Lamia continued, "We can tell your words are sincere and it is apparent that you speak the truth. As for this Elf named Danin, well, Firga will tell you the rest."

Firga nodded to them and spoke in a musical voice that was undeniably female, "This Elf you speak of, he did come to us, about 700 years ago. He stayed with us, never telling us what brought him here. I could see that a darkness hung over him, and assumed that he had been hunted because he was a mage. He spoke little and had few friends. I never raised the subject of why he came to us with him, but from what I observed, he was good at bearing grudges."

Elladan raised an eyebrow at the way her sentences were phrased. Firga smiled and pushed the hood off her head. "Yes, I am one of the Eldar. That was one of the reasons why I did not question Danin. There are few Elves among us, and we value each other's presence greatly."

"What happened?" Estel asked anxiously. "You speak as though he is no longer here."

"He isn't." The Lamia said. "There is none here, by that name, of that race."

"But, Lady Firga just said - !" Elrohir protested.

"Lady Firga?" Elladan questioned.

Firga was silent for a moment. "Danin is dead. He killed himself barely a century ago."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Oh, another update? Nope, it's not my birthday again, though I wish it was. And I didn't calculate wrongly, considering that this is only due next Tuesday. So, it can only mean one thing...

I FINALLY FINISHED WRITING THE STORY! XDXD

Yep, it's mission accomplished for me! ((streamers and balloons)) So updates will be more often, up to twice a week, 'cos I need time to get the replies done. But regular updates will be on Tuesdays, as usual, with additional ones over the weekend.

About this chapter, ooh... evil cliffie! And a twist!! The plot thickens and everyone wonders what the heck I'm writing. XD It'll sort itself out, just wait and see. As I said before, the REAL story starts here, the first 10 chapters are just for show. And for those who remember me complaining about a certain irritating OFC? Well, all my OCs have made their appearance, so now, it's time to play 'Guess The OFC!' Who do you think was the one giving me the headache? Hectrix, Firga, or the Lamia?

I've exhausted all my crap writing the notes about the entire story, so on to review replies. Thanks for reading and please review! Reviewer number 200 gets... hmm... ah! Your own psychotic and hot mage. How's that? Hahaha. I'll think of something better by next Tuesday, so REVIEW!!!

**_Someone Stupid_**: Cough, spontaneous lovemaking. Well, there's a chapter coming up soon where you can insert your own scene. I call it a fill-in-the-blank moment. ((wink)) Your summary of the previous chapter was very... accurate. ((rofl)) Everyone was unconscious while the mages did the war dance! I don't mind being allies in lunacy, considering I already have a partner in corruption. But I'm kinda bad at keeping in touch so... ((sheepish grin)) And I like the greeting "may your twisted mind flourish and your pen spread lunacy"; maybe I should add it to my e-mails as a signature. XD

**_Lillybeth1_**: Oh dear, another person who speaks Dutch... I think I'll add another foot to the pit I've been digging to hide myself in. But I'm glad you find it entertaining and that you like the story. Btw, what's the weather like over there? Is it very wet or something? And at least there's 4 seasons... over here, it's either sunny or rainy, and when I say rainy, I mean it suddenly just rains and then stops kind of rainy. XP

**_Child of Magick_**: AAAHH!!! ((flying glomps)) SEPHIROTH FANGIRL!!! ((bounces madly)) I agree, it's all in the hair... and the evilness... and the Masamune... and his general HOTNESS!!!! ((off in lalaland)) Ahem. Excuse the hyperness. It's just that I haven't fangirled over him for a long time. Yay! Another computer gamer!!!

**_Marbienl_**: ((lol)) I agree, fic-reading is the best medicine for the stressed. And I managed to finish my essay at last. ((sigh of relief)) I ended up waffling lots of stuff. My other language is Mandarin (you get a... cookie for guessing correctly) and nope I don't live in Hawaii... unfortunately. I feel like I'm playing some trivia thingy here... tee hee, I get easily amused so. Ahem. Anyway, before I cause your sanity to deteriorate further, thanks for the review and good luck for the results!

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Relax, relax, Legolas is going to live... Because if he dies, then Estel will sing sad love songs until I'm forced to resurrect the Elf to spare my eardrums. XD Hope you didn't fall off your seat with the ending for this chapter! ; D

**_Nienna Coamenel:_** They found Danin! Sort of. But nothing happened to them, so I guess everyone's happy? Hee hee, hope you liked the chapter!

**_Dawn_**: Glad you liked the magic, I was afraid it'd be a little too off the wall for some people to handle... ((crosses fingers cos it's going to get more bizarre)) The dental clinic sounds cool, but if there actually was one in my country, people would think the docs and nurses were mental institute escapees. ((shakes head)) I don't recall seeing an easy bake oven before, but the food it produces sounds very scary... Must go and haunt a toy store one day to see how it looks like.

**_Lady Laswen_**: ((rofl)) Well, in my previous stories (which are all manga and anime-related) the names for my OCs were easy. I didn't HAVE OCs. XD But when I did, I'd just key the root word into a Japanese-English dictionary and pick one... but Japanese names in this category just wouldn't fit and I couldn't find a good Elvish name generator so... ((shrug)) Anyway, happy convincing yourself to write!

**_Grumpy_**: ((roflm)) I so agree with that observation! I think he just has an... affinity for cliffs... given what happened in TTT... poor accident prone Estel. ((grins madly))

**_Padfoot n' Moony_**: Forgiven! XD I'm a bad reviewer myself so. Hee... And... I dunno why it reminds me of hamsters... I just get an image of two little balls of fur running around a cage whenever I see your name... maybe cos hamsters are small (padfoot) and... blur (moony)? Dun ask what the connection is... I don't know myself. : S

**_Losing Grip_**: Hmm... yeah, you could say that. It was fated for Estel to find the village, so he managed to get through the barrier. The twins had to get in the hard way, poor things. Legolas will be dropping very unsubtle hints in the near future, trust me, the Ranger would have to be a rock not to understand those. ((evil laughter))

**_Crazyrabidfangirl01_**: ((lol)) I like your name. May craziness and rabidness and fangirlism thrive!!! And chocolate is G-O-O-D for the soul!!! ((crazy evil laughter)) Ahem, thanks for the review and stay tuned for more slash!

**_High-Queen-Tashi_**: Welcome back! And congrats about the results! ((gives chocolate as prize)) Omg, your teachers actually drink in school??? I know that there's lots of good stuff hidden in the staff room (I found Cadbury Hot Chocolate mix and loads of sugar biscuits during my stint as a relief teacher) but ALCOHOL??? Hmm... you can figure out endings pretty well? Give this one a shot! Tell me how you think it ends, I want to see how predictable I am. ((bounces eagerly)) And don't worry, I know I'm insane. I'm just trying to delude myself. XD

That's all the review for the chapter! Thanks for reading, got to crash now. Night folks!


	15. Twists

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: It's been 15 chapters and you think I own them??? Funny, real funny. ((sniffles)) I want my own Elfy!!! ((wails and throws tantrum))

**Chapter 14: Twists**

"Danin is dead. He killed himself barely a century ago."

_Dead._

_Dead._

_Dead._

The dreaded word pounded in Estel's ears as he felt himself sinking into a void. Their only hope was shattered?

"By the Valar," he whispered, "This can't be true."

The Lamia rose and uttered a few words. Immediately, the people filling the place began to file out, leaving the Lamia, Zykon, Hectrix and Firga behind with the captives, who were too stunned to notice what was happening.

After a long silence, Firga spoke gently, "I'm sorry. I wish things did not have to turn out this way."

"No one knows what the Fates decree, save the Fates alone," Hectrix murmured as she watched the fire dance. "Such is Life, that we are only puppets on their strings."

"Tell us more," the Lamia urged as she leant forward. "Perhaps we might be able to help you."

Elladan sighed as he began to recount the tale of Legolas, and what Mithrandir had told them, to his eager audience.

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

"You are saying that he used his blood in the spell?" Zykon asked in disbelief. He snorted when the Elves and Human nodded in response. "That is impossible."

"Why?" Estel asked.

"Blood magic is forbidden, even among ourselves," the Lamia explained. "To use it is punishable by death, unless the situation calls for it, and only then, it is used as a last resort." She turned her eyes on the confused Human and smiled slightly. She gestured to all of them to sit down before continuing with her explanation. "Blood magic is as dangerous to the user as to the target, perhaps more so. Because it involves the very essence of life, it can be very destructive. If the spell backfires on the caster, the consequences are dire. The worst case ever recorded in its usage caused an entire village, which was under the attack of Orcs, to be decimated by a fledgling mage."

Hectrix flinched.

"The mage in question was gifted with the ability to wield fire, but she was not yet powerful enough to achieve the effect needed to destroy the Orcs. She invoked the rites of blood magic and used it to multiply her power, but she lost control of the resulting flames. What was supposed to be a wave of fire meant to burn only the Orcs became an inferno that consumed the entire village and left nothing in its wake. She died with the rest of the villagers."

"I see," Elladan mused thoughtfully. "But, one thing I don't understand is... How did Danin manage to cast this spell on our friend, when he did not go through the proper rites and incantations?"

"That I can explain." Firga smiled bitterly. "Danin was related to the mage who came up with blood magic, so his powers in that field are greater than others. In very rare cases, the desires of the mage are able to override the barriers that lead to a spell being cast. Under normal circumstances, these barriers can only be breached by the suitable incantation. From what you have said, it seems that Danin was very obsessed with your friend. Coupled together with his powers, it would have been a rather easy task for him to cast the spell without going through the normal procedures."

"Then, how are we supposed to break the spell?"

Firga sighed and shook her head. "You need his blood in order to do that. And it is impossible for you to obtain it now."

"What?! Then, what was the point in telling us all that?!" Estel almost leapt up in his agitation, but his brothers quickly caught his arms and forced him to remain in his seat.

Zykon glared at the Human and snapped, "Mother only speaks what is necessary."

The Lamia laid a hand on her son's shoulder and said, calmly, "Just as some diseases have more than one cure, so do some spells. Perhaps there is another way to free your friend's soul. But for now, Zykon, take them back to their quarters. It is late, and they need some rest."

"But -!" Estel protested.

The Lamia silenced him with a look. "This is not your realm, I suggest you not argue with me. Sleep well, may tomorrow be a brighter day for you." She waved a hand and dismissed them.

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

Estel glared furiously at the Human who had herded them out of the hut. He was not in the best of moods after being scratched by the thorns, bashed by a rock-face, cut by a few dozen threads, and now told that there was no way they could save Legolas. He was tempted to hit something. Something that bore a resemblance to the smirking Zykon, who simply ignored the seething Human and led them back to the hut they had woken up in.

Zykon pulled back the flap and mockingly gestured for them to enter the dark hut. "After you, my Lords."

Had it not been for his brothers restraining him, Estel would have probably gouged out those amber eyes that taunted him.

"You should try to enjoy your stay here," Zykon purred. "It will not last very long, I am sure."

"What do you mean?" Elrohir asked, trying to clamp down the panic that rose within him.

Zykon closed his eyes and muttered something. Immediately, a fire sprang up on the pile of sticks arranged in the middle of the room. He turned to leave, saying, "It gets rather chilly at night here, wouldn't want our precious guests to catch a cold, do we?"

Elladan grabbed his arm and asked coldly, "_What_ _do you mean_?"

Zykon shrugged off the Elf's hand and snarled, "Each time a stranger enters our village something bad happens. I don't know why Mother chooses to help you, but if it were up to me, I'd burn all of you at stake!" With that, he whirled and stalked out of the hut.

Estel ran after him, but found was flung backwards by a force field when he tried to exit the hut.

"Estel!" The twins immediately rushed to his side. "Are you alright?"

The Human winced slightly as he felt his headache come back in full-force. "I'm fine." He looked up at his brothers and grinned wryly. "Looks like we're stuck in this place whether we like it or not... So, what do we do now?"

Elladan sighed. "I'm not looking forward to telling King Thranduil that we can't save Legolas."

Estel shook his head violently. "No! I refuse to believe that Legolas is going to die just like that. There _has_ to be a way to save him, right? Otherwise, Zykon wouldn't have said the Lamia was going to help us!" His grey eyes pleaded with his brothers to tell him that there was still hope for the Prince.

Elrohir turned away, not daring to meet his brother's desperate gaze. "In such a situation, Estel, it is best not to hope for too much."

Elladan grasped his brother's shoulder sympathetically and echoed the Lamia's words. "Get some rest, Estel. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring hope to us... and to Legolas."

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

When Zykon had led the unwilling captives from the hut, the Lamia turned her attention back to the Elf and Human who had remained with her.

"What do you think?"

Firga inclined her head slightly. "I do not think you should have given them false hope by saying there is another way to break Danin's spell. Only the blood of the caster can break this spell. There is no other way."

The Lamia chuckled slightly. "Spoken as a true Head of the Fire Mages. I had quite forgotten that you know more than others about such magic. After all, you were the younger sister of the mage who burnt down your village by mistake."

Firga frowned. "I was merely stating a fact, my Lady. I see no hope in their situation."

"It is true that only blood can reverse this spell. But it is my belief that it is not necessary that we use his blood only."

"That's impossible," Firga shook her head adamantly. "All spells have a fixed and standard pattern to casting and undoing them. There is no way something like this can be undone."

"But there is." Hectrix stood up and walked towards the Elf. "I remember back then, I cast the spell out of desperation. If I had gone through the full ritual learnt by the present mages, I would have been dismembered by the Orcs even before I was halfway through the incantation."

"It was different then. You had no choice." Firga laid a hand on Hectrix's shoulder. "You did it to save our village, and you died as a result."

"No, Firga. Don't you see? _I_ was the one who started the order of blood magic users. If it weren't for me, Sister, none of this would have happened. I was desperate. And inexperienced. I don't know what came over me, but the spell I used was not born of a specific procedure. It was a spell born of desire."

"What are you trying to tell me, Hectrix? That in actual truth there is no such thing as blood magic?" Firga's voice rose as she challenged the Human incarnation of the sister she had lost an eternity ago. "If that is so, then tell me, what did you die for? And what was it that our cousin used to steal the Soul of one of our Kindred??

"So you've finally acknowledged Danin as your cousin," the Lamia commented quietly, preferring to watch the exchange from the sidelines.

"I only disowned him after I found out what he had done to the Prince," Firga snapped at the Lamia before turning her attention back to the Human. "But now that you're finally talking to me about the past, Hectrix, I demand the truth about this blood magic."

Hectrix lowered her eyes and stared at the flames for a long time as the irate Elf fumed. "The truth is that..."

She lifted her gaze and stared into the timeless eyes of the Elf and the Lamia.

"There is no such thing as blood magic."

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Hmm... Anyone getting confused here? ((evil laughter)) I love cliffies. I think I'm repressed, 'cos I've read so many fics with cliffies that now? it is my turn to do the cliffie-ing! ((thunderclap)) Incidentally, this is the chapter where I started making major changes to my story. So you could say this is the literal turning point of my story, because I changed about 3 chapters worth of stuff to get a different ending. What that ending was? Well, you'll just have to wait for the end of the story (not that far off? about? 5 chapters and an epilogue left) to find out!

I forgot to mention the origins of Firga's name in my previous chapter... but let's do this the trivia way. Firga is the head of the _FIRE_ mages? I play lots of _Final Fantasy_. Any guesses how I named her? ((wink))

And, is it just my computer that's screwed, or are there missing chapters in my story??? I was clicking the links just now and I seem to be missing at least 5 chapters? O.o Someone help me double-check, please? So I can repost the chapters if necessary? (stupid FFnet!)

I got more than 200 reviews for this story!!! ((bounces happily)) Thank you soooo much to all the nice people who reviewed, you guys really made my day! Let's see, my 200th reviewer is **_Sielge_**! ((fireworks and balloons)) For that, you get? ((scrutinizes the cast)) Ah! You get a limited edition Elfy Plushie! That comes complete with the Dense Ranger Plushie, which is so dense it can double as a paperweight. XD Ahem. More insanity below...

_**Spanishgoddess86**_: Unfortunately, Danin _did_ kill himself. Not a very smart thing to do when there are people after his blood (literally) but I love complicating matters. ((evil laugh)) And Estel just has to work harder too! hehehehe...

_**Marbienl**_: Yup, the mages are reasonable... sort of.... but they're not eating any of them anytime soon so I supposed you could say the mages are good people. XD I won't be getting my essay back (thank goodness) It's for some accommodation interview thingy (which is very long-winded) so hopefully the waffling is impressive enough. ((wink)) And I'm not from Japan, but I wish I understood Japanese... you're close though, it's in the same region... sort of? ((tries to recall map of Asia)) ((goes cross-eyed)) Anyway, Legolas coming up soon, AND worried Thranduil too. Hehe, not bad, your powers of guessing are pretty good. The transparent part is pretty close ((whistles)) I shall be my evil self and leave you to ponder to possibilities! XDXD

_**Sielge**_: ((waves)) Well, you could say the first 10 chapters were the introduction? Sort of. Considering that the main part of the story has only just started and is going to end soon. Hehehe? ((sheepish grin))

_**The-Serious-Padfoot**_: Wow, such brilliance, to sit on the floor and read. ((applause)) And? ((rofl) your comment about the "Bad Dude to take blood from" made me think of doctors waving big needles going around taking blood samples! Ahem. Update on Legolas' condition is coming in the next chapter, so sit tight! ; D

_**Empath89**_: Haha, never mind about the reviewing, I'm a very bad reviewer myself so... ((whistles innocently)) Hope your computer is behaving! It sounds vaguely like mine... there was a point of time when it kept going nuts on me, and my friends and I dubbed it "Psycho Compy from Hell". XD

_**Tmelange**_: Thank you! ((bounces happily and waves sugar wand))

**_Grumpy_**: Hehe, thanks! Well, first, they are going to sit and complain, then they are going to angst, then Estel is going to hit his head hard on the wall and angst more. XD Nah, it'll sort itself out, you'll see. ((wink))

_**Losing Grip**_: Ah, the big question everyone's asking... How's Legolas going to be saved if Danin's dead? The answer is... Not. Telling. Yet. XD But there?s a hint in this chapter. Sort of. And... are you _sure_ you like the way I think? ((cue Elrond's eyebrow of doom)) I tend to scare people and even myself. XD

_**Gissela**_: Yup, Danin is dead, and he just screwed their lives up. Woohoo! Ahem. They'll break the spell, no worries, after all, everyone want Legolas to live happily ever after with Estel, right? ((bounces))

_**Someone Stupid**_: ((rofl)) Thank you for the... err... parting words at the end of the review. XD Yup, there'll be slashy stuff soon, and the fill-in-the-blank moment is basically a jump in my timelines where they can be doing anything from having a cuppa tea to 'spontaneous love-making' in the readers mind. XD Btw, your review came _very_ close to what the original plot was. (hint: the PotC line) And, no, Danin didn't pickle his blood and leave it behind. That's gross... ((turns green)) Hehe, ah well, till next time!

_**Goldmund**_: Nope, no blood left! I never heard of Elves with anti-clotting factors before. : P And it?s FUN to torture Legolas! ((evil laughter)) but he's got Estel to comfort him when I'm done with my Elfy torture so I guess he doesn't mind? XD

_**Child of Magick**_: Hehehe, I love being evil, I think everyone wants to kill me for killing Danin off? Mwahahahah! Don't worry, the ending is coming up soon. And oh!!! Kingdom Hearts!!! ((bounces)) When I saw Riku for the first time, I thought he was young Sephiroth! And I swear that they modelled Ansem after Sephiroth too! It just goes to show he's the BEST villain ever! XD Can't wait for Kingdom Hearts 2 and FF7:Advent Children to come out.

_**ShadowedDarkness**_: Thank you! ((is a happy fangirl, I mean, author))

**_Dawn_**: Yup, yup! The plot thickens to the consistency of caramel! Oh... sugar... ahem. Glad you like my writing, I think I tend to get a little long-winded sometimes. Maybe that's why I always go waypast the word limits for my summary questions in English exams. Hehe Well, now that I'm done with this, I'll be going back to my original genre of anime/manga. Trying my hand at writing a humour fic for the "Prince of Tennis" series. Haven't written humour in ages (about 3? 4? years) because I've only been able to write serious stuff even though all my author's notes and stuff sound like I'm high on crack.

**_Crazyrabidfangirl01_**: Err... I didn't know eating chocolate cookie dough could turn a person into Smeagol... ((eyes cookie dough)) ((pulls out a bar of chocolate instead)) And it's GOOD to be crazy about Elves and Rangers! Especially if they are slashed together!!! Join the club! ((crazy laughter))

_**KeshieShimmer**_: Hmm... nope, no bringing Danin back from the dead. He'd cause too much havoc for me to handle. BUT, they?ll be meeting Danin. ((wink)) How? Well, keep reading and reviewing!

And that's all for the previous chapter! FFnet is being spaz and not letting me log in, so apologies for the late post! Gr, and now it's turning all my " "and '...' into questions marks! ((shakes fist at FFnet)) Thanks for reading and reviewing!


	16. Dreams

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: If I owned them, the world would be full of corrupted fangirls. Oh wait, that's almost true… So does that mean I own them? XD

**Chapter 15: Dreams**

Estel sighed in his sleep, his brow furrowing slightly. That voice which had prompted him to look closer at Dol Guldur was back…

_**It is always darkest before dawn, don't give up young one.**_

_Who are you?_

_**I am not an enemy.**_

An image of a beautiful lady with golden hair appeared in his mind. She smiled kindly at him.

_**Do not fear me.**_

_I don't._

_**That is good. As I was saying, you must not give up… you are his only hope, you see.**_

_I don't understand what you are talking about._

_**Your mind doesn't, but your heart does. Remember, young one, trust your heart. You can always rely on it even when the situation seems hopeless…**_

_**After all, you were named Estel, and you are Estel. Hope.**_

_**Don't forget that.**_

_This is not making much sense to me._

A gentle laugh, then the voice continued and faded away: **_Now, sleep, Estel. Sleep and forget your frustrations._**

_**Dream of those you love and draw strength from them…**_

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

Galadriel leant back from looking into her mirror and sighed. Celeborn looked worriedly at her.

"How did it go?"

"He was receptive, but he still does not understand what his destiny is. Nor that his fate is tied to the Prince's."

"That is rather dangerous, is it not?"

"Yes, but, the mirror keeps showing me differing futures... I myself am not sure which is the one that will eventually come to pass."

"But, the outcomes? What are they?"

"Some are good, some are bad. But the goods ones are more frequent, though the path leading to them is always different."

"Well, let us hope that no matter what path they take, they will both pull through."

"Yes. Because to lose one would be to lose the other."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Back in Mirkwood, Legolas sat curled up in a large armchair, staring mournfully down at his body. It had become an almost morbid pastime for him to stay up at night, watching his shell fade before the morning light drove him back into his canvas prison. He had managed to finally convince his father that it was not necessary to stay up every night with him to keep him company, not when the King had to attend state councils every morning.

Although its Prince was in trouble, it was not a good enough excuse for the whole of Mirkwood to freeze in its functioning.

Legolas leant back and closed his eyes wearily. With each day that passed ever since Estel had found him, he found himself growing more lethargic. Just the thought of having to come out of the painting every night in order not to worry his father was enough for him to wish he could fall into an everlasting sleep.

And there was that voice at the back of his head… a very familiar voice that beckoned him towards the darkness…

Legolas opened his eyes and lifted his hand, placing it directly between his line of sight and the full moon. If he looked carefully enough, he could see that he was not glowing in the moonlight…

The moonlight was filtering _through_ him.

He gave a strangled sob and buried his head in his arms. He didn't want to disappear just like this!

A soothing presence entered his mind and brought the distraught and almost hysterical Elf some distraction.

_**Hush, young one. Calm down.**_

_Who are you?_

An amused laugh, then: **_That is exactly the same question Estel asked me._**

_You... know Estel?_

Indeed, I do. Would you like to see him? Yes! But, I can't leave the palace… You won't need to. Just, relax, and don't lose your hope… 

Legolas' eyes glazed over as he slumped down in his chair, off to the blissful world of dreams.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Legolas opened his eyes and winced slightly as a bright shaft of sunlight filtering through the trees struck him. He could hear the birds singing cheerily as he moved forward hesitantly. It had been so long since he had been out in the daytime that he was actually a little afraid of it…

"Legolas?!"

He whirled at the sound of the shocked voice. "Estel!"

The Human ran over and hugged the stunned Elf tightly. "By the Valar, what are you doing here?"

The Elf hugged the Human back, enjoying the feeling of being in contact with another living being. "What do you mean? And… where's here?"

Estel let go of the Elf and grinned broadly. "Well, you're in my dream."

Legolas raised an eyebrow. "This is your dream?"

The Human shrugged. "Now that you're here, I suppose it's not my dream anymore… So let's call it _our_ dream."

Legolas smiled. "That'd be nice."

"You know," the Human remarked, "I was just wishing that I could see you again without having to wait until I got back to Mirkwood."

"Really? So was I!"

"That's… really uncanny." Estel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Almost as though we were connected by Fate or something."

_**That is because you are.**_

The pair started at the sound of an unseen voice.

"You again." Estel sighed. "But then, I suppose I have to thank you for connecting us through the dream?"

_**You're welcome. I just wished to inform you that the Sun will be rising in a few hours. Make the most of your time together, and think about what I said.**_

_**And don't worry, I won't be eavesdropping.**_

"Estel?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think she meant?"

"About us being connected by Fate?"

Legolas nodded.

Estel shrugged. "I don't know. It sounds rather unbelievable, but, given all the things that have been happening lately, I think it might be possible."

Legolas turned and walked away from the Human, placing his palm on the smooth bark of a tree. "I think, it's rather comforting… to know that there is someone else… that I am not alone in this."

Estel approached the Elf and laid a warm hand on the slender one resting on the tree. "You're not alone. I won't ever leave you alone until this whole matter is resolved."

"Thank you." The Elf lifted his eyes and looked straight at the Human, his relief and happiness clearly written on his face.

Estel stared at Legolas, his other hand coming up to brush across the Elf's bottom lip on its own will. The caress continued up one faintly blushing cheek before he pulled the Elf closer to him into a thoughtless and chaste kiss.

When it finally dawned on him what he was doing, the Human immediately pulled back, stuttering his apologies. To his surprise, the Elf was not offended. Rather, he wound his hand around the Human's head and deepened the kiss.

As they drew apart, Legolas whispered breathlessly, "You said you wouldn't leave me."

Estel grinned and replied, "I won't" before he claimed the mouth of the Elf before him once more, seeking to make the most of their time left together.

_Because you mean too much to me._

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

The Elf curled up on an armchair in Mirkwood smiled in his sleep, as his form seemed to solidify once more, losing its slight translucent sheen. When the Sun rose a short while later, he flickered slightly before disappearing.

The blonde archer reappeared within the portrait, the stoic, painted expression looking much happier than before.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Aww… a nice little interlude before evil me whisks them off for more angst and torture. ((evil laugh)) Hope you guys enjoyed it even thought it didn't resolve the cliffhanger, that will come in the next chapter. Call it the calm before the storm. ; P And some REAL slash! As well as a fill-in-the-blank moment… happy imagining what they did!!! XD

Oh yes, in case anyone got confused, words _**like this**_ was Galadriel meddling with their minds.

I'll try to update this weekend, but it'll depend on whether I have enough time to get my rambling and review replies done. Okie then, shall keep everything short this time 'cos I'm pretty busy… Onto review replies!

**_Sielge_**: Yup, there's hope for him! But he'll just have to wait longer 'cos I like being evil

**_Spanishgoddess86_**: Legolas gets saved… eventually… XD It'll all be revealed soon. Hehe.

**_Marbienl_**: Hm, I think FFnet is nuts… ((kicks server)) At least none of the chapters are missing. Hope this chapter has enough Legolas to keep you happy!

**_Empath89_**: Hahaha… Well, most of electrical appliances have names that start with 'psycho', so I think you can tell how well behaved they are… And I think you're the first person who would call a cliffie interesting… ((wink))

**_Grumpy_**: Oh, the mages are helping. They just don't seem to be helping. ((wink)) And it's FUN to complicate matters by killing off important people. ((evil laugh))

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: ((Rofl)) I can imagine that… Estel asking for a scalpel but getting a chainsaw instead? XD And wow, everything in a binder… I feel… famous. XD But glad you're enjoying the story. ((happy sigh))

**_Crazyrabidfangurl01_**: Ooh… you have an Elven voice for a conscience? Sounds fun... I want one too, but then again it wouldn't be very fun, 'cos I bet it'll be telling me to be good and sweet and not so warped. Guess I'll stick to my evil sugar fairy. ((pretends to be innocent))

**_KeshiShimmer_**: Hehe, you can see where I'm going? ((bounces)) Tell tell! I wanna see how predictable I am. XD

**_ShadowedDarkness_**: ((evil laugh)) I'm taking revenge for all the cliffies I suffered under other writers. XD I think there's a few more to come so… ((shimmery eyes)) Forgive me in advance? XD

**_Varda's Servant_**: Thank you! ((ego inflates happily)) Glad you like my story. Updates will be at least once a week, so hope you'll continue supporting me!! (I feel like a politician… bleh.)

**_Mariella_**: Really? Thank you! You have made me one very happy writer!! ((bounces)) Hope you like it and keep reading it!

That's all for the previous chapter! Hope I didn't miss anyone out, cos I'm rushing this in order to post ASAP… Thanks for reading and reviewing! Dinner calls! ((disappears in a cloud of sugar dust))


	17. History

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: I think by now everyone should know what's mine and what isn't mine, right? Oh, and warning, if anyone reading this hates my OFC, please just bear with it/skip the chapter and don't flame me. It's her history and the role she's playing in this story. I'll summarise the chapter at the bottom.

**History**

Estel was drawn rudely back to the world of reality by someone shaking his shoulder. He cracked open an eyelid and growled at the person who dared to interrupt the lovely dream he was having about Legolas.

The face of a rather annoyed-looking Elrohir filled his vision. "Get up. The Lamia wants to see you."

"Now?" Estel groaned. "But, she just saw us a few hours ago. And it is barely dawn."

Elladan's face joined his twin's as he hissed into his Human brother's ear. "I suggest you get up before Zykon starts ranting again. I have no wish to be burnt at stake like he suggested." He nodded at said person, who was lounging at the door to the hut and looking decidedly annoyed with his role as messenger.

Estel scowled and rolled over, stretching the kinks in his bones before he sat up. "Alright, alright. Let's go."

"Not us. Just you."

"What?!" Estel glanced frantically between his brothers and the scowling Zykon. "But, but the Lamia will eat me!"

"Just get moving, Estel." With that, they bundled him out of the hut and left him in the cares of one Mage who looked more like he wanted to fry the intruder than talk civilly with him.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Estel found himself back in the same hut as the night before, only this time it was devoid of an audience.

"I apologise if I interrupted your rest," the Lamia said as soon as he had taken his place before her throne, with Zykon at her feet, and Hectrix and Firga standing on either side. "We were discussing your situation, after you retired, last night, and I believe we have some good news for you."

Estel's eyes lit up. "Really?"

The Lamia smiled at the Human as she nodded. "Yes. There is a way to break the spell."

"Well, what is it?" The Human could barely contain his excitement.

Hectrix moved forward and smiled kindly at him. "Have a seat, this will take some time, and will most probably come as a shock to you."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

"What do you think they want him for?" Elrohir asked Elladan as they waited for Estel to come back.

Elladan shrugged. "I have no idea. But it is rather strange that they would call for Estel only, don't you think so?"

"Hmm… You don't suppose that they would…" Elrohir's voice trailed off as he imagined his baby brother being tortured by the mages.

"No. Zykon may hate us, but I believe that Firga, at least, would stand up for him."

"So I guess that just leaves us with nothing to do but wait."

"Unfortunately."

Silence.

"I'm bored, 'Dan."

"… I'm not your entertainer."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

"As I was saying," the Lamia began once Estel was seated on the floor before her, "we were discussing your situation last night. And I believe that Hectrix has thought of a solution that might help your friend." She nodded to Hectrix to take the floor.

"First, how much do you know of blood magic?" Hectrix asked the Human.

"Not much, actually. Save what I have been told by others regarding the current situation."

"Good." Hectrix gave a sigh of relief. "This will make things much easier, because in order for you to understand how to break the spell, you must first understand the true origins of blood magic.

"This form of magic came into existence a long time ago, when Danin was but a babe in arms. It originated from a very small and obscure village…"

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

The smell of smoke drifted out of a simple hut that stood in the middle of a small village.

"I did it, Hir! Look!" A redheaded Elfling squealed as a small fire sprang to life under her hands.

Hirga smiled proudly at her little sister. "Well done, Firga. You will be a great mage one day."

"I want to be just like you," Firga claimed. "I want to make the fires dance like you do! Teach me, teach me!"

"Not yet, little one. First, you must master the flames, or they will consume you. Look, the fire you made is dying down."

Firga glanced back at her handiwork and squeaked. She quickly closed her eyes and frowned slightly as she concentrated on the spell that would keep the fire burning.

There was a sudden _whoosh_ of flames and the fire consumed the small pile of sticks underneath it in a blink of an eye. Firga stared in astonishment at the ashes before her, soot covering her face. Hirga smothered a giggle as she said, "What did I tell you? You must master the flames properly, before you can think of making them dance for you."

A shadow fell across the engrossed sisters and an outraged screech was heard. "HOW DARE YOU?! HOW DARE YOU PRACTICE YOUR SORCERY IN MY HOUSE?! GET OUT THIS INSTANT, YOU WITCHES!!"

Firga buried her face in Hirga's dress as their angry aunt started slapping both of them. "I told you never to practise your craft while under my roof! How _dare_ you go against me this way?! Your father should never have married that witch, and she deserved to have been burnt to death by her own people!"

Hirga clamped down on the urge to show her how it felt like to be burnt. It was not their fault that they had inherited their father's immortality and their mother's gifts! Instead, she quickly scrambled out of the hut, desperate to get her little sister out of harm's way.

"Stay out of my sight, you filthy half-breeds!" The shouting behind them was cut off by a wail. Immediately, the irate Elf's tone changed to one of care and concern. "Oh, my poor little Danin. Were they scaring you? Hush now, Naneth's here."

Hirga rolled her eyes as she carried Firga towards the well. The other Elves shunned them as they walked past, purposely going out of their way to avoid coming into close contact with the 'cursed' sisters.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently as she set the Elfling down by the well.

Firga looked up and nodded tearfully, the blackness of her face intersected by the lines made by her tears.

"Let's get you cleaned up then." Unable to find a piece of cloth, Hirga dipped the corner of her skirt into a bucket of water she had drawn and started to scrub the soot away from her sister's face and hands. Firga winced as her sister happened to run the cloth over a sore spot.

"What's wrong?" Hirga brought Firga's hand up and examined it closely. "You burnt yourself! Does it hurt, little one?"

Firga shook her head. Hirga smiled, amused by her show of courage. "Wait here for me, little one, let me see if I can find something to make your hand feel better."

She hurried off, leaving the Elfling sitting by the well, swinging her legs. Darkness covered the land, and the only light came from the torches lighting each hut and surrounding the village.

Suddenly, there was a whistle and streak of light from a flaming arrow flying past, and a thump, as the projectile landed on a thatched roof, setting it ablaze. It was followed by another, and another. The tranquil village erupted into screams as the Elves sought to flee.

"Orcs! Orcs!"

"Run while you can!"

"My son! I can't find my son!"

"Naneth!"

Hirga whirled as the crowd rushed past her like a river. Everyone was fleeing in the same direction. It was clear where the Orcs were coming from. Above the pandemonium, she could hear the sound of smashing and terrified screaming as the first wave of Orcs broke through their meagre defences and started the slaughter and sack of the village.

And Firga was near to the frontline.

Immediately, she started pushing her way back to her sister, not caring for her safety at all. But it seemed as though for every step she took, she was pushed back two. When she finally came in sight of the well, she stared in horror to find Firga gone, a menacing wall of Orcs with bloodied swords and bodies of Elves who had not escaped in time littering the floor.

"Firga!" she screamed.

Her mind refused to register the fact that these Orcs had probably just killed her sister and would do the same to her. Hands shaking and blood boiling, she suddenly recalled a seemingly unrelated thing her mother had once told her:

"_Daughter, never mix magic with blood. It will only complicate matters. Remember, it is **forbidden**."_

She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes. It might be forbidden, but she would not let her sister go unavenged. She opened her eyes and spied an old dagger, probably dropped by the villagers in their mad flight. She snatched it up, staring unseeingly at the Orcs who sneered and licked their lips in anticipation of spilling her blood. With a strange smile playing across her face, she drew the blade up the length of her arm and gave in to the flames of rage that consumed her soul.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

When the Orcs charged, Firga had been swept to her feet and away from the well by the panicked Elves. There were few warriors among them, as most had already been decimated by earlier attacks. The only chance they had was to flee for their lives while the Orcs pillaged and plundered what they had worked so hard to keep.

"Hirga!" Firga tried to turn back, to go back to the well. Her sister had told her to stay there, she had to go back! What if she was looking for her now?

She felt herself being lifted by her waist and struggled madly. "Put me down! I need to find my sister!"

"No, little one, you can't. Right now, we must run." A male voice said above her as he suited his actions to his words. "Your sister will find you later, if she survives."

They followed the mad rush of the Elves, headed for the forest that surrounded their village. If they could get there, they could lose the Orcs in the trees.

Just as they cleared the last row of huts, Firga suddenly had a blinding vision of her sister. She was standing with a blade in hand, facing the army of Orcs that had invaded their village. And somehow, she just… knew.

"Hirga! No!" she screamed, even though it was too late.

Her sister slashed her arm and the blood poured freely, dripping down her wrist and onto the floor. The Orcs howled in glee and rushed forward, driven by the sight of her blood. Hirga closed her eyes and began to chant the strongest spell she knew. Fire swirled about her and the flames that consumed the huts beside her started dancing as well. Firga could not hear the spell she was using, but she noticed that even after her sister's lips stopped moving, the flames continued to roar far above her into a towering inferno…

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Hirga opened her eyes and gazed up at the fire, amazed at the strength of the spell. She finally understood what her mother had said, but it was too late. She had used the forbidden blood magic and would pay the price for her folly. She could feel it clutching at her, choking her with the intensity of its power. Her eyes gleamed strangely and she gave a twisted smile, almost as though she had been possessed by something else…

"_Burn."_

The tower of fire crashed down on her and spilled over to the Orcs, sweeping over the entire village like a wave on a stormy sea. Orcs, and Elves alike, who could not escape in time were reduced to cinders instantly.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Firga's breath came in gasps as she felt the heat from the fire roll over her. She didn't need to look to know that she had just lost her sister to blood magic. Her heartbroken wail carried through the night as the surviving Elves sought refuge in the trees.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Estel was speechless as Hectrix took a deep breath from telling the tale. He noticed that Firga had her eyes closed tightly and was shaking slightly.

"The Elfling. It was Firga," he stated, before he turned to Hectrix wonderingly. "Why are you telling me this? Do you mean to say that Firga is Danin's cousin?"

"Yes. And, if it weren't for me, the tale of the mage who used blood magic to kill the village would never have come into existence. Danin wouldn't have stolen your friend's soul. And I would have…" Hectrix trailed off as she broke into sobs. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Estel stared at the Human mage who spoke as though she had experienced it herself. But it was impossible. She couldn't be that old, unless…

He had heard the stories that Glorfindel was the reincarnation of a Balrog slayer who was killed in battle, could it be that…

"You were Hirga, weren't you, Hectrix? You were Hirga in the past,"

"I'm sorry."

Estel laid a gentle hand on her shoulder as he tried to calm her down. "It wasn't your fault. You did what you had to. Perhaps, even if you didn't use blood magic, Danin would have found out some other way. I don't blame you for what happened to Legolas."

"You don't?"

"No, I don't." He smiled at her. "You were sent back for a reason, and given a chance to right the mistake you made in the past. If you hold yourself responsible for what happened to him, then help me. Tell me how I can bring him back."

Hectrix stared up at him for a few moments in disbelief before she gave a laugh that seemed to choke her. "I had guessed that I was sent back to atone, but I never imagined that I would be forgiven so easily." She took a deep breath and collected herself. "I thank you, for your faith in me. Now, listen carefully to what I say. It might not work, but it could very well be the key to saving your friend."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Err… apologies for the cheesiness of the chapter. For those who skipped the chapter, basically, Hectrix was an Elf-mage in her previous life, cousin to Danin and older sister to Firga. She destroyed her entire village and killed herself in the first documented use of blood magic, which led to it being banned by the mages after they regrouped in Dol Guldur.

If anyone's wondering why I'm not hyper and bouncing madly, I have a cold and a frog in my throat. And I've an interview on Friday. Bleh. I'll try to post the next chapter on Saturday or Sunday, to make up for this one, cos I dun think it actually interests many people.

Oh, and the name 'Hirga' is the product of my un-imaginative imagination for names. ((bangs head on table)) The most important reason I will never be an original fiction writer. I can't name my characters for nuts. Thank goodness she's the last OC I have in this story.

Review replies time! It'll be short again cos the crappy side of my brain has shut down and been taken over by the 'runny nose' side of my brain… wait, I think I can feel it returning to me… it's ALIVE!!!!!! ((is tied up and gagged by rabid bunny muses)) Ahem. Big thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter:

**_Spanishgoddess86_**: Here's the update! Well, Estel will die if Legolas does because they're connected by fate. As to why…. Well, it's coming up in the next chapter or the chapter after that. My brain is woozy, I can't remember. Sorry! ((sheepish grin))

**_Someone Stupid_**: ((lol)) Err… they are a cute couple cos of the angst and torture?? ((borrows Elrond's eyebrow of doom)) But yeah, of course they WANT each other. XD Btw, did you watch 'Alexander'? That is the way LotR should have been done between Aragorn and Legolas. XD

**_Child of Magick_**: ((sweeps up nails and hands them back)) Tee hee. Glad you like the plot. FF7:AC is still in the works I believe. ((death glares Square Enix)) And with luck should be released in Feb next year. You can check this site ff7ac. net (I think that's the address) for updates, they've got pretty!pretty!pretty! trailers and stuff under the downloads page. XD

**_KeshieShimmer_**: Err… actually I have no idea where I'm going either. ((consults compass)) Kidding. I'm getting to the point of the story. Really. ((crickets chirping)) Well, yeah. Hehehehe. ((whistles and sneaks away))

**_Marbienl_**: Yup, yup! Love is the best medicine for the Elfy in distress!! ((flings out hands dramatically)) ((crickets chirping)) Ahem. Well, I figured that if you haven't seen something for 1000 years, even if it's good, you'd be scared of it… right? ((ponders over weird logic)) Whatever. I think my cough syrup is making my warped logic even more warped. O.o

**_Empath89_**: ((lol)) Yes, yes, I get the hint. ((scribbles notes)) Must write more slashy scenes. Yup, there's hope for Legolas… now all the fangirls rejoice! ((conducts the Hallelujah Chorus)) Now, allow me to go hit my rabid fangirl self on the head before I scare you away. XD

**_Crazyrabidfangurl01_**: Sugar makes the world go round!!! ((does rabid sugar dance)) And I don't mind being pestered… I actually… enjoy being pestered? I sound masochistic. Anyway, pester to your heart's content, it might inspire me to update more often than I am now.

**_Grumpy_**: Hee hee… Galadriel has a way of poking her nose into other people's business, so she's a convenient means of getting them together in the dreamscape. As to what she saw in her mirror… well, I don't exactly mention it in my story, but she sees both a good ending (both of them live) and a bad ending (both die). But as she told Frodo, some of them won't come to pass, so she doesn't know how it will end yet.

**_Losing Grip_**: Had to make it very nice and sweet and un-cliffie-d so that I wouldn't get killed by all the readers waiting for slashy goodness. Glad you liked the chapter, but it's back to more angst and torture!! ((evil laughter))

**_Akuri_**: Wow… ((blushes)) Thanks! Glad to know you're enjoying this. One of my friends told me that this story is really off the wall, so I'm really glad that I've got so many nice people who like it. ((beams happily)) Hope you didn't find this chapter clichéd though…

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Ooh… do I get to make a thank you speech? I'd like to thank my family, my friends, my pet dogs, and OOH THE FANS!! HOW COULD I FORGET THE FANS!!! ((squeals and jumps around)) ((rabid bunny muses appear to drag crazy writer off)) Ok! Ok. I'll behave. But I'm still really, really surprised that you printed everything out and put it into a binder… reminds me of the first time I read fan fiction. My classmate printed out a 100 page story and silly me actually thought it was some previously unpublished work of the author… But glad to know you guys are enjoying it. ((bounces happily))

**_Tmelange_**: I haven't written sap in a long time, so I'm glad you found it mildly cavity-inducing. ((wink))

**_Varda's Servant_**: Hmm, I'm not sure if they used contractions, but after I read your review I tried to get rid of as many as I could, but some stuck, otherwise the speech would have sounded strange. And I must say you're pretty sharp to pick up the difference, because the time lapse between my writing the previous chapter and the one before that was about 3 months, so my style changed. ((applause)) Thanks for the helpful feedback!

That's all folks! Next chapter coming up soon, and it'll have much less of my OFC in it. thanks for reading and remember to review! And while I'm at it, let me do a shameless plug for an 'Alexander' story I wrote. XDXD Go read!!!

Ps: Someone help me find and turn off the tap for my nose… gaahhhhh… I hate runny noses. ((wibbles off to bed))


	18. Hope

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: Aren't you getting tired of this? I am. You know how it works…

**Chapter 17: Hope**

The twins looked up when Estel finally returned to the hut. The sun was just past the midpoint of her journey through the sky, and the stifling heat from the bare rock surrounding the village was filtering into the open space they were held captive in.

"Well?"

"What did she want?"

To their surprise, Estel did not reply, only went over to a corner and sat with his back to the wall, chewing his bottom lip as a frown furrowed his brow.

The rustling of a cloth drew their attention back to the entrance of their prison. Hectrix stood there, holding a tray laden with food and drink. She placed it down in front of the twins and said, "Have something to eat, and get some rest. I will show you the way out in the evening when it is not so hot."

She looked at the silent Human before making her way over to him. She crouched down beside him and laid a hesitant hand on his shoulder, whispering something so soft that even the twins couldn't hear it. Then she left the hut.

Estel continued to sit and stare into nothingness.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

True to her word, Hectrix fetched them from their hut the minute the sun started to dip below the horizon and a cool haze settled over the village. She led the Estel and the twins in silence to the back of the village, pushing through the crowds of people that had gathered to stare at the strangers.

"I don't understand," Elladan began, hoping to clear some of the tension between them, "Why did you have to knock us out? I mean, couldn't you have just told us we were trespassing or something?"

Hectrix glanced back over her shoulder and replied, "But it wouldn't have made as much of an impact on you, don't you think so?" She smiled when she saw a look of slight confusion cloud his face. "I apologise. It was rude of me to greet you that way, but you must understand. We mages wish for Onbekend to remain a secret, and we will do anything to guarantee our privacy. You are the first strangers to have entered our village for a long time, and the first to have been released so quickly and easily. We do not wish for more non-mages and strangers to intrude on us, so we are very hostile and try to create as bad an impression as possible."

"I see. So, how are we getting out of here? We're in a canyon, right?" Elrohir recalled the sheer walls of the valley he had fallen into.

"Yes, we are, but there is a way out. Trust me."

They arrived at a clearing that had a circle of stones in the middle and a large heap in a corner. Hectrix took a few stones from the pile and set about enlarging the circle. When she was finished, she dusted her hands and instructed all of them to get into the circle.

Estel and the twins complied, wondering how standing there was going to get them out. The circle was rather small, so they found themselves back to back in very close quarters. It did not make things any easier when Hectrix squeezed in as well.

"Try to relax. This may feel a little odd." She moulded her fingers into a strange formation and began to chant in a strange language.

The scenery before their eyes started spinning, faster and faster. All of a sudden the spinning stopped and they found themselves standing on the edge of the cliff, above the spot where Estel had slipped just the day before. Hectrix moved away from the group and made a parting motion with her hands as she uttered a command. Immediately, the thorn bushes that had hindered their path melted back, creating a smooth path into the forest of Mirkwood.

"If only we'd met you earlier," Elrohir commented.

Hectrix smiled slightly. "Follow the path to the end, your horses will be there waiting." She raised a hand in farewell as the Elves bowed in thanks and turned to leave.

Estel did not follow his brothers immediately, wishing to have a last look at Onbekend in case he never had the chance to come back again. He stood at the cliff's edge, marvelling at the spell that made the valley seem like a desolate waste. He glanced at the mage who stood beside him and said, "Thank you."

Hectrix looked surprised. "Whatever for?"

"For helping."

She smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not sure if it will work, Estel. But if you're the one doing it, I foresee no problems."

"Why do you have such confidence in me?"

"You were named well. That is all you need to know." Hectrix turned away and said softly, such that Estel had to strain his ears to hear her, "And I should be the one thanking you for trusting me."

She looked up at the Human and smiled again. "You should be leaving."

"One more question?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Go ahead."

"Will the mages ever band together with the Dark Lord and fight against the other races?"

There was a long pause as Hectrix stared off into the distance. When she finally answered, Estel could tell from her voice that she spoke the truth.

"No, we will never do that. We will not allow ourselves to be used against others. I give you my word that as long as I live, I will not allow the mages to be the puppets of anyone. I will not allow them to become like me, a lifetime ago, bound by the rashness of hate, with no room for regrets, to a cause they cannot comprehend."

Estel nodded. "Thank you, Hectrix. And, farewell."

Hectrix looked Estel straight into the eye, seeing the wisdom that lay behind the silver orbs. "You will be a great Man one day, Estel," she said quietly. "Be strong and don't give up. Farewell, Estel. We will not meet again."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Thranduil paced agitatedly as Elrond checked the pulse of the sleeping Prince. Mithrandir was smoking his pipe by the window as he pored over some ancient text.

"Where are they? They can't be lost, can they? Or maybe they've been strung up by the spiders somewhere…" Thranduil spun around and exclaimed, "By the Valar, you don't think the mages have killed them, do you?"

Elrond glared at the distraught King. "I really wish you'd have more faith in my sons."

Thranduil rubbed his forehead and sighed. "I apologise, my friend. I'm just… worried about - " He paused in mid-sentence, then dashed out of the room where his son lay, leaving a confused healer and wizard behind.

"I'm starting to wonder who needs more help, the son or the father," Mithrandir commented.

Elrond listened intently, then realized what had attracted the King's attention: the faint sound of hooves striking stone. His face broke into a relieved smile as he hurried out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Mithrandir! They have returned!"

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Estel dismounted just as the palace doors were flung open and the Elven King practically flew down the stairs, grasping him tightly by the shoulders and demanding, "Well? Did you find it?"

Estel tried not to wince at the iron-grip of the King. "Yes, my Lord, we did."

"And? Did you find a way?" The question was punctuated with a shake at every other word, rattling the poor Human's teeth.

"Yes, my Lord, we did."

"Well, then what are you waiting for?! Don't just stand there, move!"

Estel shuffled his feet.

"You're hiding something from me aren't you?" Thranduil narrowed his eyes.

Estel gulped. How was he supposed to tell such a scary Elf that in order to save his son –

Fortunately, Elrond appeared just before Thranduil managed cornered his younger son in a figurative stone cell.

"Thank the Valar! All of you are back in one piece… and walking by your own strength too. Very impressive, I must say."

"Ada!" Three voices protested indignantly.

Thranduil glared at the healer, then at the Human. "Now, Estel, where were we in our conversation?"

"Perhaps we should take this inside?" Elrond gestured at his travel-stained children. "They are probably hungry too."

Thranduil glared at Elrond again and would probably have set the healer on fire if he had the ability to do so. Or if Mithrandir had not appeared just then wearing a look of long-suffering patience.

"Very well. Let us discuss it over our dinner then."

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

Elrond put down his wine goblet as the twins concluded the tale of the mage village, noticing that his Human son was uncharacteristically silent for the most part.

"Estel? Do you have anything to add?" he probed.

"You never told us what the Lamia wanted to talk to you about," Elrohir commented.

Estel sighed. "It wasn't the Lamia who wanted to see me. It was Hectrix."

"Hectrix? The Human mage?" Mithrandir asked.

"Yes. She was telling me about the origins of blood magic and the story the Lamia mentioned. She said that, there is no such thing as blood magic."

Thranduil snorted. "How would she know? She has not been watching a son sleep like the dead for a thousand years."

"Hectrix is the reincarnation of the mage who died using blood magic to protect her village. She was Firga's older sister, and Danin's cousin."

There was a stunned silence in the room, and Estel smiled slightly to see all the hanging jaws around him.

"And… she gave me some suggestions on freeing Legolas."

Thranduil was the first to react. "Well, then what are you waiting for? Do it!"

Estel shook his head. "No, my lord. It is something that must be discussed with him first. Because even Hectrix is not sure whether it will work, because this has never happened before. The method she suggested was the most suitable way she could think of."

"Well, whatever you need, the kingdom is at your disposal."

"I wish to speak to Legolas, alone, tonight."

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

The blonde Elf pounced on the Human as he soon as he managed to free himself from the painting.

"Estel! You're back!"

Estel couldn't help grinning at his armful of enthusiastic Elf. "Miss me? I thought we saw each other almost every night."

Legolas pretended to sulk. "It's different. Tell me all about the trip. You said you had something to discuss with me in person. What is it?"

Estel sighed. "It's about the method which might free you from Danin."

"_Now, listen carefully to what I say. It might not work, but it could very well be the key to saving your friend."_

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

"I do not know if this will work, but it was the most logical thing I could think of. It is a gamble worth taking, because if you fail, you friend will die; if you do not even want to try it, he will still die. If it works, well, he will live, just as all of you hope.

"As I said before, using blood magic to steal someone's soul has never happened before, so it is not known whether there is an actual method for reversing the spell. However, it is common belief that only the person who cast the spell can reverse it, and that only by using their blood in a counter spell. Now that you know that there is no 'real' method of casting blood magic, I assume you can imagine how difficult it will be to free your friend, given the fact that Danin is dead as well."

"So, what do you suggest I do?" Estel asked, impatient to get his answers.

Hectrix stared at him for a moment, then asked suddenly, "Do you love him?"

Estel blinked at her.

"Answer me truthfully. Do you love him? And how do you love him? As a friend? A brother? Or a soul mate?"

Estel thought for a long while. Of all the questions, he had never expected this one. Of course he loved the Elf, but how he loved him… well, it was a bit embarrassing to say it in front of so many women, so…

"I love him… enough to die for him."

Firga and the Lamia exchanged an amused look before Hectrix addressed him once more, "I hope that you meant that, because the possibility of that happening is real."

"What do you mean?"

"We believe that the best way of saving him is to do a soul bind. That means binding two souls together. If one falls into darkness, the other follows. It is an irreversible process, and one that requires a very deep bond to work. The bond cannot be between blood relatives, only between those who love each other and are unwilling to be parted by anything. Including death. Are you prepared to take such a huge risk?"

"Yes. But, why a soul bind?"

"Danin stole your friend's soul through sheer force of will, and it is that will of his that is keeping your friend in his clutches now. The only way to break that control is to counter it with something stronger. If the soul bind works, it should be strong enough to wrest your friend's soul out of the bond Danin created, thus bringing him out of the void and back to his body."

"And if it doesn't?"

"You will be dragged into the void along with your friend. Both of you will die, and no healer will be able to save you."

Estel shuddered involuntarily at that statement, then steeled himself. "What must I do?"

"The soul bind is a form of blood magic, actually, so there is no standard way of doing it. But the bind should be done on a night with a full moon to increase its strength. All it takes is the both of you believing in each other with all your hearts. You must have the same purpose, the same desires, with the same goal in mind – to be one with each other. All it will take to seal it is an exchange of your blood. The only problem is that there is no way of finding out whether your bind works, because your connection only reveals itself after the first time you have been through a trial together. It is like a test of whether your devotion to each other is real."

"So all we need is a full moon and an exchange of blood? That's all?"

Hectrix nodded. "And one more thing, if the soul bind works, both of you will be bound for the rest of your lives. If either one of you dies of anything after that, the other will follow."

**_X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X_**

"So that's what you were worrying about…" Legolas turned the Human to face him, brilliant blue eyes holding the gaze of steel. "If I had to do a soul bind with anyone, I'd rather it be you."

"But, I am _Human_."

"What about it?" The Elf challenged.

Estel sighed impatiently. "I am mortal. You are not. And if it works…"

_When I die of old age, I will drag you to the grave with me._

"It does not matter." Leoglas said gently to the stunned Human. "I'd rather spend a short life living happily with you, then to live my life bound to an Elf I did not love, or trapped with Danin."

Estel smiled gratefully, then frowned again.

"What now?"

"There is… one more problem. The next night of the full moon…"

_Is on the night of the thousandth year since Danin imprisoned you._

_The night you are scheduled to die._

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Hmm… notice that the chapters are getting longer and longer? ((waggles eyebrows suggestively)) It can only mean one thing… dum dum dum!!! Yes, the story is coming to an end… in 2 more chapters and an epilogue in fact. Tee hee… told you all the stuff in front were fillers, the REAL action (And the plot! Mustn't forget the plot!) have just started… mwahahaha. Fear me. I am evil. ((thunderclap))

For those suffering from OFC overdose: I swear that this is the last time Hectrix makes an appearance! Honestly. Well, apart from the mention of her name in the next chapter. But, no more Hectrix playing gooseberry with Estel and Legolas. And all the happy fangirls rejoice. XD

Anyway, my insanity is back with a vengeance… and I think the cold I caught is insane too… I mean, I cough non-stop for 1 day; the next day, my nose runs away; the day after, my nose is so blocked a plumber wouldn't be able to make headway; and on the day _after_ that, I'm well enough to bounce off the ceilings at my friend's birthday party… Maybe I infected the virus? XD

Review replies! ((bounces around sprinkling sugar))

**_Marbienl_**: Hahaha… actually, the whole "entertain me" thing between the twins is sort of a parody of what happens between my friends and I… I'm the unpaid court jester… Granted, I do more damage to their brains than they realise, so I guess it pays off in a way. XD Legolas evaporating… ((rofl)) That's an interesting thought… ((stores away for future reference)) As for my cough syrup… Well, it tasted gross, so maybe it caused me to hallucinate… Now if only I managed to get my hands on the one that tasted nice and yummy, then maybe I'd be… bouncing off more ceilings? Scary thought. XD

**_Sielge_**: Ooh… yes… All of Legolas' problems can be solved with a kiss. XDXD If only everything were so simple… but of course, me being the evil writer that I am, it won't be that simple. ((evil laughter)) Did I mention that I'm evil? ((oozes evilness))

**_Crazyrabidfangurl01_**: Nah, that's not being masochistic. At least I don't think so. ((thinks)) For me, I can only write angst when I'm depressed, so I used to have to 'depress' myself when I wrote angst-ridden stories… Anyway, here's your update… remember to breathe between sentences. ((wink))

**_Empath89_**: Aw… you had a cold too… Hope you're better now, mine's all cleared up as I described up there ((points)) and yay for slashy scenes!!! ((does happy rabid fangirl dance)) I think I was a little high on sugar when I wrote the 'entertainment' scene… hehehehe…

**_Losing Grip_**: I hope it works too, otherwise all the readers hoping for a happy ending'd kill me, and in turn I'd strangle Hectrix for trying to act smart. XD Oh wait, I created her… mean I've to… strangle myself… O.o

**_Grumpy_**: Imagine it… Soup of the Day: Cream of Estel. ((rofl)) Cannibalistic tendencies. Ahem. Yuppo, and so you have the plan to save Legolas… Like it? Hate it? Cheesy? Hehehe, glad you like Hirga (or her name at least)… she needs a little love after what she did. ((pats OFC))

**_RMC_**: Welcome back from the land of psycho computers!!! (streamers and balloons)) Just in time for the big bang ending too. XD Glad you like the naming. Didn't want to go to the Elvish name generators and stuff cos… well… they're kinda hard to type out and spell. ((is one lazy person)) And yup, I bet everyone's Q-ing up to cuddle the depressed Elf… but I doubt Estel would let anyone near his _darling_. ((fangirls madly)) Happy day dreaming about them!

**_KeshieShimmer_**: ((lol)) Don't worry, I won't take as long as Forrest Gump to figure where I'm heading… You'll find out by New Year, if I keep to schedule and post about twice a week.

**_Varda's Servant_**: Oh goody, glad it wasn't cheesy. And I didn't know the Half-Elves were repulsive, it was just a lucky guess. Thanks for that piece of information! I hereby dub thee my walking encyclopaedia of ME knowledge! XD I read the Silmarillion once and I don't remember much about it, only that I got dizzy flipping back and forth to read the footnotes… ((sheepish grin))

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Yay! Printing stuff is fun!!! Save the Earth!! Kill more trees!! Wait, that's an oxymoron. Erm… ah! Use recycled paper!!! ((crickets start chirping)) Ok. That didn't go very well. Anyway, happy printing, 3 more chapters (including the epilogue) and my crack-tastic analysis to go!! ((waves flags))

And that's all for this episode! Next update will be either mid-week if I'm not bogged down by work, or towards the weekend. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and remember, REVIEW! XD ((waves and bounces off))


	19. Making

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: If I owned them, I'd lock them in my cupboard and I wouldn't need to write fanfiction about them…

**Chapter 18: Making**

Thranduil was none too pleased to hear his son's decision to carry out the risky soul bind, but then again, it was better to have a chance at saving his son. And if Legolas insisted…

Well, he never was able to deny him anything. But there was still that problem of his only son binding himself to a _mortal_.

Thranduil and Legolas were having a rather heated argument in the middle of the room while Mithrandir and the twins wisely made themselves scarce. Elrond, on the other hand, pulled Estel to a corner after they announced their decision to do the bind and explained all the consequences.

"Are you sure about this, Estel?"

The Human nodded.

"But what of the rest of your lives? Don't forget your heritage, Estel."

"I love him, Ada. And I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

"Gondor needs her King."

Estel sighed impatiently. "I couldn't care less about Gondor! This is the only way I can save Legolas. Please, Ada, you _must_ understand. Have faith in me."

Elrond looked down into his determined eyes, the gaze that reminded him so much of Elros deciding to walk the mortal path, even though his own twin had tried to persuade him otherwise. Finally, he closed his eyes and sighed. "I believe in you, Estel. Do what you must. But make sure you don't regret it."

Estel smiled and hugged his father. "Thank you, Ada."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

The fateful night arrived at last. Everyone gathered in Legolas' room, waiting for them to perform the soul bind, hoping desperately that it would work, and that they would not lose their beloved Prince. Thranduil paced the room anxiously, worrying about Estel's decision to wait for the Moon to rise before starting the spell.

"Are you _sure_ we have enough time to wait? What if the Moon rises after…"

"Calm down, Thranduil, I'm sure that Estel has his reasons," Mithrandir glanced fondly at the nervous Human. "Don't you, Estel?"

"Well, Hectrix said that it had to be done on a night with a full-moon, so I'm assuming that she meant to wait until the Moon has risen. And I've noticed that there is a slight time lapse between the Moon rising and Legolas leaving the portrait, so we should have enough time," Estel explained, although he did not look very convinced himself. Which, of course, only served to agitate Thranduil further as he added complaints about the Human race in time to his pacing.

Fortunately for them both, the twins drew their attention to the silver edge of the Moon peeking out of the dark horizon. Elrond nodded at his son, giving him a smile of encouragement, his dark gaze sending an unspoken message to his son: _Do as you must, and believe._

Heart pounding, Estel readied the dagger he had prepared and approached the still figure on the bed. He leaned forward and brushed a lock of almost transparent blonde hair away from the pale and cold face, whispering into a pointed ear, " I know you can hear me, 'Las. I'm not going to leave you, so now I need you to help yourself, and us, to make this bond work. Alright?"

He threaded the fingers of his right hand carefully through Legolas' left, placing the blade of the dagger between their forearms, the cold prick of the razor-edge sending a shiver down his spine. He closed his eyes and focused his thoughts…

_It takes two people, unwilling to be parted even in death, for the soul bind to work._

_I love him, and I will do anything for him._

_Would you die for him?_

_I won't leave you, I promise._

_I'll find you, no matter what happens._

_Have faith, Estel._

_**I'm right here with you.**_

Estel's eyes flew open in surprise as a cool hand covered his. He turned to see the blonde Elf smiling at him, with an empty canvas behind him. "It will be alright."

The Human held the Elf's gaze for a moment, before he nodded and drew a deep breath, then drew the dagger sharply across their skin, the sudden bite of steel making him hiss. He pressed their mirrored cuts together as Elrond silently handed him a bandage to complete the exchange of their blood and seal their soul bind.

"May it work," Thranduil muttered as he cast his eyes to the sky, noting absently that the Moon was starting to take on a blood-red hue.

Estel pressed his free hand to his forehead, trying to quell the strange feeling of light-headedness that rose within him. "You came out early," he commented to Legolas, trying to take his mind off his dark thoughts of the soul bind failing. He noticed the red trail of blood running down the Elf's sleeve. "And, shouldn't you do something about that?"

The Elf laughed softly as he stooped and cradled the Human's face, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead. "Stop worrying Estel, everything will be fine. Trust me."

"… I trust you."

It happened so suddenly, even Elrond and Mithrandir were caught by surprise.

A fierce gust of wind swept through the room, putting out the candles and leaving them in total darkness, save for the Elves' natural glow and the faint red light from the Moon. Legolas' soul body wavered and vanished, pulled violently back into his physcal body by an unseen force. The body on the bed jerked once, convulsively. The frame of the portrait shattered, fragments of wood flying out in all directions as the canvas started to disintegrate.

There was a strangled cry and a faint thud, then silence.

When the twins managed to get the candles alight once more, everyone turned towards the bed to find Estel slumped beside Legolas' body, fingers still firmly entwined, but both barely breathing.

"Estel!"

"Legolas!"

"Stop!" Mithrandir commanded as the frantic King and twins rushed to help their respective kin. "Do not touch them."

"What? But, why?"

"The soul bind worked, that is the only thing that matters now. If you were to try to help them… Who knows what could happen?" The Istar knitted his brows together as he gazed worriedly at the two unconscious figures, "And only the Valar know where both of them are now."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

It was dark. Really, really dark.

Estel scowled at the blackness around him. He had never liked walking around in total darkness. He had a tendency to stub a toe.

He sighed and stepped forward tentatively, arms outstretched, trying to feel something, anything, that would tell him where he was. His skin was crawling with the feeling that any moment now, a horde of Orcs would jump out at him, but the familiar weight of his sword by his side assuaged his fears.

Well, sort of.

Estel cleared his throat, the sound swallowed up by the dark, "Is anyone there?"

No echoes. Just a thick, thick, smothering blanket of silence that wrapped around him and choked him.

He sighed again and started trudging towards the unknown, trying to find a way out of this… place.

Then, he heard a faint voice:

"Let go of me!"

It sounded familiar… it was…

"No, I won't go with you. Estel!"

"Legolas!" The Human shouted. "Where are you?"

"Help me! Est - "

The cry was cut off, ending in a muffled protest. Estel panicked as he sprinted towards what he thought was the source of the sound.

There!

A pin prick of light in the distance, perhaps, it was there…

_**Foolish little Human.**_

Estel stopped in his tracks and whirled at the sound of the low voice. "Show yourself!"

A laugh, then the voice purred:

_**Turn back. He is min**_**e**

"You're Danin, aren't you?"

And what if I am? 

"I won't let you have him!"

_**Not a chance, he was mine a thousand years ago.**_

"I don't care. Let. Legolas. Go. Now."

_**You test my patience, puny mortal. Don't say I didn't warn you.**_

A sudden blast of bright, white-hot light forced Estel to throw his arms up to shield his overloaded eyes.

He thought he heard a startled exclamation from Legolas, then…

_**Too late.**_

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

**TBC**

((peeks out from behind Legolas)) Err… hi? Sorry I posted late again… my PC was screwing itself up again… it brilliantly uninstalled Microsoft Word. So I couldn't access my files at all… ((kicks computer)) And then my Office installation disc miraculously took a walk to who knows where, so I'm stuck pecking this out on my sister's laptop. Sigh… my computer is temperamental enough to be pregnant…

Anyway, here's the new chapter at last!!! And guess what? Next chapter is the big explosive (at least I think it is) ending! And after that will be the epilogue! ((bounces excitedly)) Yup yup, so next chapter will be out after Christmas, and I'll hopefully manage to post the epilogue around New Year. ((crosses fingers behind back)) I'll keep to schedule this time…. Really…. I think. ((sheepish grin))

By the way, the part with lots of italics in the middle? It's actually Estel remembering bits and pieces of conversations he had regarding Legolas. And the line in bold is Legolas "mind-speaking" to him. Just in case anyone got confused. ((peace sign))

Ok, on to review replies now!

**_Sielge_**: Yay! I'm glad you like the concept. As for their reactions, well, I suppose that if it were to have happened in cannon, Thranduil wouldn't have allowed Legolas to do it… what with him being the heir and stuff, but since it's _my_ story… ((laughs evilly)) he has no choice but to agree! XD

**_Empath89_**: Hehehe… well, I guess Estel would be too embarrassed to say in front of so many women that he's in love with a _male_ Elf? So it was his indirect way of saying that he was 'truly madly deeply' in love with Leggy. XDXD Hey! That song by Savage Garden can be their theme song!!! XDXDXD

**_Marbienl_**: Ooh… you were _so_ close in your guess about my original version! I'll give you a clue, it wasn't Legolas who fell in love. ((wink)) I never really was for the idea of making Estel immortal so he could live happily ever after with Legolas, so it won't be occurring here… ((pats)) don't cry, at least they'll get to go to Mandos and terrorise everyone there together. XDXD Ahem. Yup, Thranduil wasn't very happy about it… I bet he'd sue me for making that happen if he was real. XD I'm being too evil for my own good. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**_RMC_**: Hey! Nice one, you managed to predict how it happened!! ((applause)) Wow, got a lot of psychic readers out there… ACK! I'm becoming too predictable!!! But the 'slashy goodness' is coming right up! XD Unfortunately, I won't be writing any Lord of the Rings stories after this for some time… I owe my friend a multi part humour story for her birthday next march, and I've only written the introduction, and the alst time I wrote humour was 4 years ago!! So I'll probably be too busy working on that to get any Leggy angst done…

**_Dawn_**: Thank you! Yup yup, they had a nice little reunion (I bet every fangirl out there is dying to know _what_ they were doing until the Sun rose after the chapter ended! XD) Glad you liked the chapter, hope you like this too! ((bounces happily))

**_Varda's Servant_**: Well, usually I don't read footnotes, but I thought that I'd be hardworking and read those, and also because there were lots of things that I forgot or didn't know, so I suppose it added to the dizzy factor. But truthfully, if it weren't so coughboringcough, I'd have re-read it without reading the notes. ((whistles)) Actually, this story isn't really supposed to be so fairy-tale-like… it was supposed to be more dark and dramatic, but I guess my sugar overdoses rubbed off too much on my writing! XD

**_Crazyrabidfangurl01_**: ((rofl)) Yup, poor little traumatised Estel… going to be eaten by the big bad Elfy King!! XDXD But I'm really glad you liked Hectrix, although I'm not so sure you'd have liked her original self, cos she was a full-blown Mary-Sue. ((bounces happily))

**_Goldmund_**: I think the idea of the soul bind came from this fantasy book I read a really long time ago… but it was something about binding a sword's power to the wielder? Can't remember. And it's simple because I err… couldn't think of anything else. Hehehe.

**_Moonyasha_**: Thank you! This story has very, very mild slash content compared to my others so far, so hopefully you don't get too put off! Or else you'll (hopefully) get used to it and hop onto the slash bandwagon? XDXD (bad me, corrupting other people who are still innocent… hehehehe)

**_Blade6_**: O.o ((is suffering from over-glompage)) Welcome back from exams abd projects! Hope you don't have anymore now, considering that Christmas is around the corner. And… Ooh… SWEETS!!! ((glomps back)) Yay! Now I can go high and I can say it's not my fault! ((does happy dance))

**_Kylaaa_**: Yay! Someone who has deciphered Elrond and Galadriel's incoherent ramblings!!! XDXD Thanks for reading and reviewing, enjoy the rest of the story!

**_Losing Grip_**: Well, the first part worked, but as for the rest… ((whistles innocently)) Hehehe… did I mention that I really love being evil? XDXD

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: ((pats)) Nice little environmentally friendly person… We must save more trees SO THAT THE Elfies out there won't be deprived of trees to swing on… and they're starting to sound vaguely Tarzan-ish now… O.o Ahem. Happy printing while I go stuff my rabid fangirl self into a corner!

**_Grumpy_**: ((lol)) Oh dear, now I'm starting to see Thranduil as the big bad wolf and Estel as little red riding hood… ((plot bunnies wstart bouncing)) No! I will not write a parody!!! Ack! ((runs away with bunnies chasing madly))

**_Child of Magick_**: ((cowers)) I won't kill him! Really! Because I like ny head right where it is. XDXD Are you sure you really want me to pass some ideas along? I get inspired by the weirdest stuff, so I doubt you'd want to have all my hyper/warped thoughts floating around in your head. XD might be very brain-damaging. XDXD

And that's all the reviews! Hope you guys enjoyed reading so far, stay tuned for the next chapter! And in the meantime, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! May everyone get lots of presents and imbibe lots of sugar!!! ((bounces off to the tune of Jingle Bells))


	20. Breaking

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: I didn't get the copyright for Christmas, so, nope, not mine.

_**Warning: Pretty graphic violence (by my writing standards) up ahead.**_

**Chapter 19: Breaking**

Estel winced slightly as he felt red-hot pricks dancing across his eyelids. He cracked open one eye gingerly, then sat up as he stared at the sight that greeted him.

He was… in a desert?

"Welcome, mortal."

Estel whirled to see a tall Elf standing behind him. He had silver-blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. A sword was strapped to his waist while a bow and a quiver full of arrows lay by his feet.

"Not quite what you expected to see?" Danin chuckled drily.

Estel scowled.

A familiar figure emerged from behind the painter. "Estel!" Legolas exclaimed as he hurried forward, towards the Human…

"Not so fast." Danin seized the slighter Elf by his arm, twisting it until the Prince cried out in pain.

"Let him go." Estel was feeling ridiculously calm, considering that his blood was boiling and his hands itched to cause the smirking Elf grievous bodily harm for daring to lay a hand on _his_ Legolas.

"I believe that we have a slight problem here," Danin continued as he pulled the struggling Prince towards him, wrapping an arm around his waist possessively, "It seems that we have both laid claim to you, and that there is something between both of you - " he narrowed his eyes at the Human " – that is preventing me from taking you away.

"Now, we can do this the hard way, or, you can make your decision to come with me, and everything is resolved. What do you choose, my dear Legolas?"

"I will," Legolas gasped out as his arm was wrung at an unnatural angle, "Never. Go with. You."

"Is that your final decision?" Danin nibbled at his captive's ear.

"Monster."

His eyes flashed with rage, then hardened. "Very well, you shall watch your lover die then." He flung the Prince aside like a rag-doll, snapping out a spell that left Legolas in a paralyzed heap on the hot sand.

He advanced on the Human, drawing his sword as he spoke, "As for you, you shall learn what it means to interfere with me."

Estel drew his sword and started to circle his opponent warily, knowing that this was a dance…

To the death.

Danin lunged forward, striking out like a snake. Estel only had enough time to deflect the blow and slip to the side. This Elf was fast, faster than his brothers, and he hardly managed to beat them when it came to sparring.

Danin's strokes were swift and precise, driving the Human backwards, not giving him a chance to retaliate.

And there was also to fact that they were fighting on sand. Soft sand, to be precise.

Estel's feet slipped as Danin delivered a particularly vicious blow, making his sword ring and sending the tremors up his arm even as he fell on his back. He deftly rolled out of the way as the deadly steel plunged downward, landing in the spot where his neck had been just a moment ago.

Danin snarled in disappointment as he missed his prey, then narrowed his eyes as flames circled his sword and shot out at the Human, burning a hole in his clothes and leaving a wound on his back.

Estel cried out in agony. It was right between his shoulder blades, and it would definitely hinder his movements. He staggered backwards, glaring at the Mage, and hissed, "You are not fit to be called an Elf. You fight with no honour at all."

"I do whatever it takes to get what I want. Honour plays no part in this fight." The Elf gave a predatory grin as he raised his sword once more, uttering the command that made more flames lick around the blade. "I am not finished with you yet."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Legolas watched in horror as he saw Estel slip, then heaved a sigh of relief as the Human rolled out of the way. He shut his eyes in pain when the Human was burnt, the faint smell of charred flesh reaching him as he lay, frozen on the ground.

He tried to flex his fingers, but failed. His frustration was building, as was his anxiety. It needed no expert to tell that Estel was fighting a losing battle.

When he was pulled into the void, the first thing he saw was Danin's smirking face. He had tried to run, but Danin had cast some sort of spell over him that immobilized him.

The very same spell that held him in place now.

_I have to fight this… otherwise, Estel will…_

He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he willed himself to move.

He had to…

Make himself…

Move…

His hand twitched.

_There!_ He felt a brief sense of victory sweep over him as his attention was drawn back towards the fight. He saw that Estel was covered with blood and his clothes were looking decidedly charred.

His gaze fell on the bow and quiver that Danin had left on the ground near him, confident that the Prince would not be able to escape.

_If only I could just… then I can…_

He closed his eyes once more as he began the slow task of making his body respond to his efforts.

_Hold on, Estel. Just, a little while more…_

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

The burning sword swished by his head again, the dry heat making his eyes water as Estel ducked out of the way. He brought his sword up to meet Danin's, managing to block the attack.

"Give it up, Human," Danin hissed, "And I will make your death fast."

"No." Estel rasped out as he struggled to keep his hands on the hilt of his sword. The flames were making it unbearably hot to hold. "It is you who should give up Danin."

Danin laughed as he flicked his wrist and the Human went sprawling, laying another gash to his already wounded and burnt back. "Give up? Why should _I_ give up?"

Estel grimaced as he spun round, sword ready to parry Danin's next stroke. "You have caused enough damage, Danin. Let go. It's already been a thousand years since you caused him so much misery. And it's been a century since you killed yourself."

"What do you understand?!" Danin roared suddenly, the flames around his sword growing wilder and hotter. "To be bound by the knowledge of something you can never have! To be exiled, and forced to live in misery until Death is the only pleasant option left! To be denied entrance to Valinor because of the tainted blood flowing through my veins! The blood of the accursed mages!"

He deflected Estel's sword easily and back-handed the Human, sending him crashing to the sand. The Elf stalked over to the gasping Human and planted a foot squarely on his chest, grinding his raw back relentlessly into the coarse sand.

"You will suffer, mortal, just as I suffered, only worse. You will see the Elf you love spend the rest of eternity with _me_."

He raised his sword, the dancing fire lighting his crazed expression up with an angry sea of red.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

_Almost…_

He could feel the smooth wood of the bow under his fingertips now. His legs refused to respond still, but his upper body was starting to react sluggishly to his desperate attempts at wriggling over to the bow and quiver.

Legolas clawed frantically at the weapon, drawing it closer to him. The spell was too strong for him to break fully, but he _had_ to sit up to shoot properly…

He saw Estel go down from the corner of his eye as his mind screamed at him.

_Faster! Faster! Before it's too late!_

He drew an arrow out, notching it with one hand as he pushed himself shakily up on the other.

_Have to… sit up…_

He needed both hands free…

Danin was raising his sword.

There was no time.

He lifted the bow and arrow the split second that he remained upright and let fly. Then he crashed back onto the sand, limbs no longer obeying him.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

There was a whistle and a thump.

Danin paused in his downward plunge to stab the Human's heart, his eyes drawn to the arrowhead protruding through his thigh. His own arrow. But, how?

The second of distraction was all Estel needed. He ran his sword through Danin's other leg, then slid out from the foot that held him in place, ignoring his back's protests.

The Elf fell to his knees, both legs useless.

"It's over, Danin." Estel said as he drove the final blow home, straight into the Elf's heart, pulling his sword back at as the crimson liquid ran down onto the sand and vapourized.

The artist stared up at him in shock, even as the flames born of his hatred consumed him, leaving nothing behind.

Estel dropped his sword and supported himself with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. He could not believe that he had won the fight! Actually won! With Legolas' help of course, but –

Legolas, where was he?

He staggered upright and looked around, spying the blonde Elf lying motionless next to the fallen bow.

"Legolas!" Panic welled up in his throat. What if the bind did not worked? What if he had actually killed Legolas when he killed Danin? What if? What if?

He scrambled over to the prone form, dropping down beside the Elf and cradling him, calling him, telling him to wake up, not to leave…

Around them, the Hell Danin had created for himself began to crumble. Pieces of light falling away into darkness, leaving the two figures, until even they were swallowed.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

"He's waking up."

Estel opened his eyes and blinked groggily as the faces of his concerned family swam into view. His arm had cramped in a strange position, and his back hurt, like it was on fire.

_Fire…_

"Estel? Are you alright?" Elrond asked as he took note of the Human's unfocused look.

"Legolas… Danin, in the desert… Valar, Legolas!" The Human shot upright as the past events swam back in his memory. He was holding the Elf, he was so light, it was as though he could be blown away by a gust of wind. Legolas, he had to find Legolas…

A weight on his arm drew his gaze downwards, where he saw the bandage wound tightly around their forearms. Legolas was next to him, and he didn't look like he was breathing.

"Legolas!"

Before anyone could stop the frantic Human, he had gathered up the blonde Elf in an awkward position, rocking him and sobbing, "Don't die, don't die! You promised! Don't die! I'm so sorry, I should have tried harder. Please, come back, 'Las!"

He heard a faint cough as the frail body he held shook with laughter. He pulled back in shock, to find brilliant blue eyes looking back at him.

"Whoever said I was dead?"

Estel gaped at the Elf, not believing what he saw. The Sun had risen and he was holding Legolas, and he could _feel_ his warmth as well.

"Legolas woke up just before you did," Mithrandir informed the stunned Human as Elrond slit the bandage around their arms, allowing them to move freely.

"You're alive… 'Las, you're really alive!" Estel hugged the Elf tightly before kissing him soundly.

The room was filled with laughter and tears as the Elves and the Istar rejoiced over the return of their Prince.

Outside, the birds sang merrily. Spring had come back to Greenwood the Great.

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

**TBC**

Author's notes:

Whee! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! ((showers love and sparkles)) Yup, the story is finished!!! Or… is it? ((points at **TBC**)) Just one more little epilogue to go, and it'll be done for real. XD See? Happy ending, just like I promised… you guys really didn't think I'd kill Leggy off for fun, did you?

Anyway, the epilogue will be up after New Year's weekend, cos I'll be staying over at a friend's house to usher in the New Year with lots of FANGIRLING!!!! XDXDXD Review replies time, got to keep it short cos I'm in need of sleep…. Must charge my batteries before the 'big night' (I bet we won't sleep at all…) And btw, ((prods reviewers)) 20 more reviews for my count to hit the magic 300, you guys know what to do. ((wink wink)) If there's any part at all in the story that you guys don't understand, need clarification, drop me a line in your review, then I'll address it in my notes after the epilogue okie? ((bounces))

**_Varda's Servant_**: Yay! I love being evil… and leaving cliffies all over the place. XDXD I call it my revenge on all the other cliffies other writers have left for me. Hee hee… I don't think I've ever read the original Grimm fairy tales, but I heard somewhere that Snow White/Sleeping Beauty's step mum was sentenced to death by dancing in red hot metal shoes or something… All I can say is 'ouch' and 'eww gross'. ((turns green))

**_Marbienl_**: One severely-kicked-Danin-butt coming right up! XD Nah, I doubt the mages would have the ability to make Estel immortal… and I doubt they'd dare too… Kind of like going against what Nature has created? Like how the Orcs were a parody of the Elves created by Morgoth or something like that? ((rofl)) Yup, I remembered to sun the Elf! (I'm getting images of hanging him out by his ears… like a carpet…) Ahem. And I'm sure Estel would be more than happy to help him with his rehab. ((wink wink nudge nudge))

**_Child of Magick:_** Aw… no more brain to damage… so sad… and here I was hoping I could corrupt a few more people from other continents… ((evil laughter, thunder clap)) You're welcome to strangle Danin… after all, he's been a bad Elf this Christmas. XD There won't be a sequel to this, firstly cos it'd probably involve MPreg, in order for Gondor's line to continue, I think I'll leave that for someone else to do. And second cos I've no more inspiration at the moment to write such a big project again. So I'm going on a 'writing holiday'. : D

**_Sielge_**: Thank you! So happy you like the chapter… but nope, no sequel… ((points up for reasons)) and probably nothing from LotR for some time, unless I get my evil claws, err, I mean, hands on the RotK Extended Edition? ((gazes hopefully at… somewhere)) So expensive… ((cries))

**_Empath89_**: Haha, thanks! Hope you got lots of presents? I got lots of sugar! My house is flooded with chocolate, and I'm one happy fangirl. XD I thrive on evil cliffies… Mwahahaha. Fear me all ye normal humans!!!

**_RMC_**: Eh… It was angst? I though it was more like torture… ah well, they tend to go hand-in-hand no? ((bounces)) I used to be able to write angst only anyway. Hope the ending lived up to your expectations? The 'second ending' will be in the epilogue, so stay tuned for that!

**_Gemini969_**: Ding! Update sha la la! Have fun reading!

**_Moonyasha_**: Oh no! ((gives a pure sugar IV)) did that work? And… could I have one of the dogs chasing the mouse? Pwetty pwease? ((puppy dog eyes)) Hahahaha, well, hope you didn't get freaked by any slash content in this chapter… ((eyes chapter)) if there was any… was there? Man! I just proof-read it and I don't remember… sigh…

**_Blade6_**: Nah, I'm used to getting over-glomped… my friend's been practicing on me, cos I'm just 1 cm shorter than her latest idol, so she's rehearsing what she would do if she ever met him… ((prances around waving candy canes)) Yay! I got candy canes from Blade6! I hereby dub thee my virtual sugar supplier!! Good luck with your exams/projects/quest/thing… I am… cough, still on holiday, cough. XP

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: Nah, Tarzan isn't oafish, he's just misguided… George of the Jungle, on the other hand… ((faints)) Oh, you're one sharp reader! Yup, I wanted the 'too late' bit to tie in with his dream. In my original version, I totally forgot about it, so I went back and added it in during an editing spree, just in case I had any readers (like you) who would notice little things like that. ((applause)) May you get inspired to write someday soon!

**_Crazyrabidfangurl01_**: Haha, yup, pregnant computer… maybe it'll give birth to one with more memory and an LCD screen? ((is hopeful)) I hate stubbing toes... I've this phobia of breaking my toe nail or something. Hehehe, but I managed to walk into walls/pillars/stuff 9 times in 2 hours before… ((shakes head))

**_Goldmund_**: Relax!! ((fans)) Danin IS dead, but he couldn't go to Mandos (if that's where he's supposed to go) because he couldn't let go of Legolas, and also because he's tied to Legolas, so since Legolas is still fighting to live, Danin can't 'die' completely either… Hope that helped! ((chews fingernails))

**_KyLaaa_**: Another chapter for the holidays coming right up! And the last one's for just after the hols! To help get rid of back to school blues! XD

**_Dulcina-and-Fueisu_**: Hahaha… I've never read Romeo and Juliet, but I've seen the Mercutio 'gaying' around part… I did Julius Ceasar though, and I swear Brutus and Cassius are gay! Ahem. Nice to know you enjoyed the author's note… cos it's usually my hyper outlet after being serious for an entire chapter… no mean feat for me, yanno. XD

**_Tracey_**: Thanks for the constructive criticism… Yup, I know there're quite a few character flaws in this story, probably cos the later half was written after a 3.5 month break. I'll take note of it and try my best from having this happen again in a future story!

**_Losing Grip_**: Aww… ((pats)) And here you have it! The answer to all your questions! I think. XD Hope you liked it!

Can't believe this will be the second last time I'm doing this, but big thanks to everyone who's reviewed! Next chapter coming out in 2005, look out for that! In the meantime, Happy New Year everyone! Wishing everyone best of luck in the New Year!


	21. Epilogue

**Lost Soul**

Disclaimer: For the last time (at last!) ME NO OWN. Bleh. XD

**Epilogue**

The sound of children's laughter floated on the breeze and through the open window, into the room where two identical dark-haired Elves sat.

A voice was heard, calling them inside where a warm fire waited. The noise of little feet pattering into the stone halls grew louder as they approached the study.

The door burst open and the Elves found themselves buried in a tangle of arms.

"It's the Els! The Els!"

"Carry me!"

"Story! Story!"

Elladan pretended to groan in agony as he tried to make his escape. "I thought that Valinor was supposed to be a nice, peaceful and quiet place… Who let all these demons loose?"

"We're not demons!" An Elfling protested indignantly.

"Aye, aye," Elrohir ruffled the tiny head fondly. "Demons aren't as pretty as you."

Another Elfling grabbed his hand and gazed up at him with large, innocent blue eyes. "Tell us a story? Please? Naneth says we can't play outside anymore."

"Yes! Yes! Story! Story!" The sea of Elflings around the twins started bouncing and clamouring for a story.

"Alright, alright," Elladan sighed as he dropped down into a chair, his actions mirrored by Elrohir in the chair facing him. "But this time, you give us the ideas."

"How about a story about them?" A grimy finger was pointed in the direction of a full-sized portrait of a blonde Elf and a dark-haired Human standing together with a waterfall in the background.

"Them?" Elrohir repeated in surprise. He raised an eyebrow as he caught his brother's gaze, then he smiled and nodded. "Alright, now, listen carefully…

"Once upon a time, there lived an Elf known as the Golden Prince…"

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

_"You want to do a what?!"_

"_Calm down, Legolas, it was just a suggestion."_

"_After what happened the last time round, you want **me** to get **another** portrait done?! The answer is no, no and NO!"_

"_Fine, whatever suits you. I just… Never mind."_

_::a long pause::_

"_Estel?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Do you really… really want to get a portrait of us done?"_

"_It was just a thought. But since you don't like the idea then forget about it."_

"_It's not that I don't… it's just… I don't dare to trust. And besides, what if something goes wrong again?"_

"_Nothing will go wrong. The twins said that they'd do it for us… so if we end up with crooked faces we'll have a good excuse to thrash them."_

_::relieved laughter::_

"_Don't worry, 'Las. If anything happens again, you won't be alone. I'll go where you go. Always."_

"_I know. You promised."_

"_Aye. I promised."_

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

Elladan gazed unseeingly at the portrait, thinking of the brother and friend they had left behind.

"What happened in the end? Did they live happily ever after?" The Elflings demanded impatiently, reminding the twins of a day a lifetime ago when a grey-eyed boy had sat on his foster father's lap, demanding an ending to the story of the Golden Prince.

_Somewhere in Arda, the leaves of the mallorn trees were covering a small mound with a carpet of gold. Elanor flowers were blooming on a grave which held two bodies but one soul…_

"Aye. They did." Elrohir smiled fondly at the Elflings gathered around him.

"They lived _very _happily ever after."

_**X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X**_

_**The End**_

Started: April 23, 2004

Finished: November 11, 2004

* * *

**Index:  
**Random Ramblings  
Summary  
History  
The Original Ending/Hectrix  
Glossary  
Review Replies  
Last Words

* * *

**RANDOM RAMBLINGS**

Sad ending? Well, not really. They did end up together, and I already stated very explicitly that I'm not going to turn this into an MPreg… what happens to Gondor and heirs and all that headache-y stuff, I'll leave to your imaginations. Of course, if anyone wants to do a sequel to this, you're more than welcome to it. Just let me know in advance, so I can bug you, 'cos I hardly read stuff from fanficnet anymore. XD More crap and ramblings at the end of my 'appendix'. ((cough cough))

Ok. Let me just clarify that I've never written an 'appendix' before, so forgive me if I ramble. Oh, and if you're looking for something serious… I, err, suggest that you look harder, because I'm only serious when writing my stories. My notes are going to be… ((wink))

This is my first (and hopefully not last) successful big project, and the most well-received among all my stuff so far. I'd like to say a very big THANK YOU to all my readers and reviewers. Thank you so much for seeing me through all 21 chapters of Lost Soul, and for all the wonderful reviews. And since I'm never going to get a Grammy or an Emmy, I'd like to thank my parents, my family, my – ((gets pulled off the chair and killed by rabid sugar-high plot bunnies))

But there were lots of firsts in this story… This is my first story with soooo many original characters, I had such a headache naming them. And I think lots of people suffered along with me, thanks to my… stupid names. Hehehe. My first _real_ battle scene was also written in this story. And this is the first story that actually went above 200 reviews. I mean, my biggest record so far was only 35. Yup, very sad. Anyway, on to the real stuff.

* * *

**SUMMARY**

For those who got confused along the way:

1000 years ago, Legolas' soul was stolen by a very obsessed Elf called Danin. Danin imprisoned Legolas in a portrait, which can only come to life at night, and then conveniently lost it in a forest. 1000 years later, the portrait falls (almost literally) into Estel's hands, and he carts it home without realizing that the Elf in the portrait is actually the star of a fairy tale Elrond told him when he was a child.

When the other Elves realize who and what the painting is, they immediately set out for Mirkwood with the portrait in tow. Along the way, Estel and Legolas develop feelings for each other (ok everyone, this is where we go 'awwwwww'. Come on. Say it with me: AWWWWWWW). When everyone is assembled in Mirkwood, Mithrandir informs them that Danin is most probably hidden in a mage village in the outskirts of the forest.

Estel and the twins set out for the village, only to find, on reaching it, that Danin is dead. However, they also find out that the mage who 'invented' the full-blown use of blood magic was Danin's cousin, and had been reincarnated to atone, after she decimated a village, and killed herself, in her one and only attempt to use blood magic. She tells Estel that although there is no real way to reverse blood magic, he might be able to free Legolas by using a soul-bind, another type of blood magic similar to what Danin used.

The three musketeers, I mean, brothers, return to Mirkwood where they discuss (how to usurp the throne from Louis the dunno-th who is actually disguised as Thranduil) ((gets bonked on the head)) what to do next. It is decided that Estel should go ahead with the bind, since there was no stopping him, while the rest would… wait and watch. (ok, this is getting cheesy so let me just cut to it)

Cue the epic battle between Estel and Danin in their quest for the ownership of Legolas soul! Estel wins (of course) and he returns to the real world where he and Legolas live happily ever after. Whether they got married and whatnot is all up to you guys to imagine. Not writing that, or an MPreg either…

* * *

**HISTORY**

This story was inspired by the book "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. And I was inspired to read that book by Dorian Gray ('the wolf in sheep's clothing, rawr'), played by Stuart Townsend, in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Let me give a short explanation of the book for those who haven't read it:

In the book, young Dorian befriends an artist who idolizes him and paints a full-length portrait of him. The painter calls it his most perfect work, and put his entire soul into the portrait. On seeing the portrait, Dorian makes the foolish wish of wanting to remain young forever, like his portrait, rather than to grow old and to see it daily as a reminder of what he once was. As they grow older, everyone starts to notice that Dorian never changed, and remained as youthful and innocent as he was before, but only he realizes that the effects of his lifestyle are actually being reflected on his portrait. He continues indulging in his reckless depravity as his portrait grows more and more loathsome to behold. Finally, one evening, his phobia of the portrait being found and recognized overcomes him and he decides to shred the canvas to remove all traces of evidence. He stabs the canvas, and the servants hear a scream. When they arrive at the scene, all they see is the body of an ugly old man with a knife through his heart, and a portrait of their young master in the prime of his youth.

From the above, I think most of you will be able to see the similarities between 'Lost Soul' and 'Portrait'. The ending for 'Portrait' was actually closer to how my original ending ran, but I'll cover that in a later section.

I first decided to write this story when I was chatting with a friend online about 'Portrait'. My argument for Dorian accidentally killing himself in the end was that everything worked in reverse. If the portrait grew old while he wanted to remain young, then he should have stabbed himself, and maybe the portrait would have disappeared. (If the argument doesn't make sense, don't worry, we have a tendency to argue until we get confused, and I think by this point of the conversation, we were pretty near the '???' stage) So this got me thinking: What if I wrote a story about someone's soul being trapped in a portrait? Then maybe I could get it to end the way I wanted it to.

And thus, Project Lost Soul was born.

On the whole, I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out, although I wish I had developed some of my OFC's more, but I didn't want to bore people, and I felt it wasn't necessary, so I left it as that. I took Hectrix's past further, because the whole story sort of hinges on her actions in her previous life, so I wanted the readers to understand how the whole deal happened, and perhaps empathise a little with her.

**

* * *

THE ORIGINAL ENDING/HECTRIX**

The original ending was very different from the one you guys read. For one, Hectrix was directly involved in it, and it was also much messier than the soul-bind. I'll be explaining my original ending together with Hectrix's original role, because they're linked, and it'll make more sense this way.

Initially, I intended Hectrix to be Danin's daughter, whom he had with a mage one night when he was drunk. The mage was later killed during a civil war where she was burnt to death (cf: Firga's mother/Hectrix burning herself to death in her previous life). Hectrix inherited Danin's immortality, and was the Lamia's advisor. Only the Lamia and her family knew about Hectrix's roots, and it was kept secret at Hectrix's request. Going by that timeline, Hectrix was about 400 years old when the drama unfolds, and had been the guardian of the Lamia's ancestors, and now Zykon. Since Hectrix was Danin's daughter, she had the blood necessary to break the spell, so she had to travel back to Mirkwood with the gang.

For those sharp enough to notice, Zykon likes Hectrix. ((wink)) Didn't take that part out of the story. He actually tried to persuade her not to leave with Estel and gang, which is not in the posted version.

In Mirkwood, she helped Estel and Legolas perform the soul-bind, then began the rites to free Legolas from the painting. Warning, here comes the confusing part. First thing she did was to kill Legolas' body, because as mentioned by Mithrandir and Elrond earlier, the soul cannot survive without the body, and vice versa. At the same time, the twins were to destroy the painting. With nothing left to hold it in the material world, his soul would try to enter the Halls of Mandos. Estel's role in performing the soul-bind was mainly to hold him back while Elrond resuscitated Legolas.

Danin appeared and complicated matters, but was thwarted by Hectrix, who decided to sacrifice herself to make up for her father's wrongs, and because (dun dun dun!) she was in love with Estel, and couldn't bear to see him pine after his Elf. So both of them return to the real world and lived happily ever after.

Ok. So that was how the story ran originally in my head. In terms of writing, I only got to the part where she went back to Mirkwood with them before I hit a dead-end. For those who remember, I kept complaining in the earlier chapters that I had a stupid original character who insisted on writing herself. Well, that character was Hectrix dear, who decided to morph into a Mary-Sue and swallow my story. I decided to scrap it, because I realized that the focus had shifted onto Hectrix, instead of remaining on Estel. Because in the end, the story is about ESTEL saving Legolas, not some non-canon girl doing all the work.

I think the idea for Hectrix being a reincarnated Elf-mage stems from all the modern-day Fellowship stories I've been reading. The ones where everyone, except the Elves, is reincarnated, regain their memories and fight a new evil etc. And since I wanted to have cliffies and plot twist galore, I decided, why not? And my writing muses came back to me and I finally managed to finish this story. Phew!

(In case anyone's interested, I actually had another epic going 4 years ago, but it died halfway through because I lost interest and my OFC morphed into a Mary-Sue. So I'm really glad I managed to finish this.)

* * *

**GLOSSARY**

_(Warning: this is where all my hyperness starts.)_

**Author**: Crazy, sugar-high, hyper being with a very big ego; the source of this story; obsessed with sharp, pointy objects, considering her penname means 'sword' (or some other pointy object) in Japanese.

**Celeborn**: Elf; Husband to Galadriel; Lord of Lorien; winner of the Lorien Best Supporting Actor role to his wife; henpecked, needs to get a life.

**Danin**: Elf; cousin to Hirga and Firga; obsessed artist who stole Legolas' soul; escaped to mage village and commited suicide there; subsequently banished by Estel in the void he created for his restless soul.

**Elrohir**: Elf; son of Elrond; twin brother of Elladan; foster brother of Estel; bane of Erestor's life; insane half of the Crazy-Twins-From-Hell figurine set.

**Elladan**: Elf; son of Elrond; twin brother of Elrohir; foster brother of Estel; bane of Erestor's life; motherly half of the Crazy-Twins-From-Hell figurine set.

**Elrond**: Elf; Lord of Rivendell; healer of all boo-boos accumulated by his sons; highly stressed; ought to go for counseling; restrainer of King 'I'm-going-to-kill-that-Human' Thranduil.

**Estel**: Human; foster son of Elrond; foster brother to the twins; bane of Erestor's life; love interest of Legolas; focus of King 'I'm-going-to-kill-that-Human' Thranduil's attempts at killing Humans; 007 alias: Strider, bumbling Ranger, future King of Gondor.

**Erestor**: Elf; advisor to Elrond; object of all torments; worrier who would have stomach ulcers, high blood pressure etc if he was Human; dark-haired half of the GlorfyRestor plushie set.

**Firga**: Elf; sister to Hirga; mentor to Hectrix; cousin of Danin; mage; head of the Fire Mages.

**Glorfindel**: Elf; advisor to Elrond; tormentor of Erestor; imbiber of much sugar; possessor of springs under his boots; blonde half of the GlorfyRestor plushie set.

**Galadriel**: Elf; wife of Celeborn; Lady of Lorien; meddler in other people's business; psychic; matchmaker (well, she did throw Estel and Legolas into the same dream…).

**Hectrix**: Human; reincarnation of Hirga; angsty OFC who provides the solution to Estel's troubles; creator of many headaches on the author's part.

**Hirga**: Elf; older sister of Firga; cousin of Danin; first mage to use blood magic, subsequently killed by her own spell.

**Horse(s**): 4-legged creature(s) which provided transportation since teleportation doesn't exist, and since the eagles would have gone on strike if Estel and Legolas decided to make out in mid-air. XD.

**Lamia, the**: Human; mother of Zykon; ruler of the Mages of Onbekend.

**Legolas**: Elf; son of Thranduil; love interest of Estel; Prince of Mirkwood; owner of the soul residing in the portrait Estel picked up; object of Danin's obsessions.

**Mirkwood**: Elven realm ruled by Thranduil; formerly known as Greenwood the Great; home to the comatose Prince and over-anxious King.

**Mithrandir**: Istar; Grey Wizard; origins unknown, but favourite food is pipe-weed. XD

**Onbekend**: Hidden mage village found in Dol Guldur; ruled by the Lamia; Norwegian for 'Hidden'.

**Rivendell**: Elven settlement ruled by Elrond; home and hospital to the twins and Estel.

**Spider(s**): 8-legged creature(s) out to catch everyone, wrap them up and suck their blood. Whee!

**Thranduil**: Elf; father of Legolas; ruler of Mirkwood; over-anxious; drama-queen, I mean, _king_; needs to get a dose of tranquilizers; goal in life: kill the blundering Human.

**Tyan**: Human; blundering Ranger-trainee; bane of Strider's existence; source of Strider's migraines; discovered the portrait by chance and sold it to Strider/Estel.

**Zykon**: Human; son of the Lamia; liker of Hectrix, disliker of Estel and the twins; modeled vaguely after an amalgam of the author's favourite bad guys (it's all in the hair! The silver hair!!! ((swoons)) ).

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**REVIEW REPLIES**

**_The-Serious-Padfoot_**: ((rofl)) Selective blurness? XD I'm like that… I only notice what I want to… I once walked right past my senior who waved in my face and didn't know until my friends told me what I did… but I can spot back-up dancers dropping their pom-poms at the corner of a concert DVD… ((sheepish grin))

**_Marbienl_**: Thanks for the concern… Your topography is pretty accurate, cos I am located in the same region as the quake area, but no damage done in my little tropical island, other than plenty of rain and natural air-conditioning, cos we're on the other side of where the quake happened… and that doesn't make much sense so I might as well tell you that I'm in Singapore, so you can look at a map and figure out what I'm rambling about. ((cheesy grin)) Doubt I'll be doing any more LotR stories for a while… my inspiration for more Arrie and Leggy luff has run dry… tsk tsk. Happy New Year (very belated though…) to you too!!! XDXD

**_Crazyrabidfangurl01_**: Ooh, what time did you stay up till? I clocked 7 am, cos I was over at my friend's house fangirling the year in. XD Never managed to pull an all-nighter before though… darn. I'll R&R your stuff when I've more time (and more sleep) okie? ((pats pats))

**_Keeper of Destiny_**: ((passes tissues)) Don't be sad… the last chapter wasn't really a proper chapter… just an excuse for me to spam readers with more crap in my 'appendix'. XDXD

**_Child of Magick_**: You know, I can't remember what else I've read by Oscar Wilde… only 'Portrait'… guess I've succumbed to fangirl brain rot? XD I'm not a really big fan of MPreg, but if a story's well-written, then I don't mind as much… maybe it grows on you like slash? And I'm glad you noticed the parallels between the story and 'Portrait'. ((prances happily)) my Literature skills hath not gone down the gutter! My teacher would be so proud of me…

**_RMC_**: Nope, he didn't die, only the OFC. And yay for another slash convert!!! ((bounces madly)) Welcome to the club! Remember, sugar is ALWAYS good for you!!! XD

**_Grumpy_**: Hehehe, I was being evil there, trying to make everyone think that I DID kill Leggy off in the end. XDXD But how could I not give them a happy ending? ((huggles them))

**_Moonyasha_**: Yay!! Puppy!!! ((glomps puppy)) Getting immune to slashyness yes? You should work your way up from the mild ones, then I bet you'd get hooked real fast. XD

**_Sindauviel_**: Thanks! And yup, it just ended, how sad… but hope you liked it!

**_Losing Grip_**: Good good, all the questions got cleared up. Glad you've been enjoying yourself, happy reading the epilogue!

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**LAST WORDS**

No, I'm not dying. Just to say thank you again for reading this story. I'll be taking a break from Lord of the Rings and going back to my original genre of anime/manga. My next project will be a humour (well, hopefully I won't be the only one finding it funny…) story from Prince of Tennis. Hopefully that one will go through to the end, because I've the sequel planned out already. Wish me luck and see you guys should inspiration strike after I get my hands on the Return of the King Extended Edition DVD!

((showers love and sprinkles on everyone)) ((blow kisses and disappears one last time in a cloud of sugar))

(And the readers and reviewers heave a huge sigh of relief. XD)


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